Come and gone
by StillHaddicted
Summary: Someone gets fired at PPTH, and things will never be the same again. But people will fight back, and new opportunities will be explored.
1. Chapter 1

_There is a "story" behind this story. It was born as a one-two shots, imagining a quite absurd scenario and its consequences. Then it grew, it became a collaboration with another writer/fan, and we made a story out of it. I am going to post here just the chapters I wrote: because of the nature of the story, it should work anyway. And as always, I hope you'll like me and will let me know if you do (and even if you don't!)_

* * *

1

"House!" Wilson called out loud, bursting in his friend's office. "House, we need to talk."

He yelled again, louder, rolling his eyes at his friend when he didn't answer. House was standing behind his desk, looking outside the window, headphones on his ears. The oncologist walked quickly to the stereo, and turned up the volume until he could destroy his friend's eardrums.

"Damnit Wilson!" House yelled taking off the headphone, massaging his left ear. "You know, people who cry for attention usually hurt themselves, not others."

"Come with me," the oncologist said, and House noticed the seriousness on his face. But when his friend walked to the door he didn't move, so Wilson stopped and looked back at him. "House, really. You have to come."

House have seen James Wilson that serious just a few times, and he didn't like it. Whatever was putting that frown on his face, it couldn't be good: and he wasn't sure he wanted to find out. Still, the determination in his friend's voice and walk had him budge. House gulped and followed him with an uncertain limp, studying him while they headed toward the elevator. Whatever it was, it must have been important, but no matter that, the fall out it haven't affected the hospital yet. Because yes, House had no doubt it was something about the hospital. Despite the puzzlement, he didn't fail to notice Wilson was wearing his "meeting" tie, the same suit he used to wear for board's meeting. And since he didn't believe in coincidence-

"What's this all about?" House asked, once they were alone in the elevator.

"It's Cuddy," he huffed, frantically losing the knot of his tie, missing the way House paled all of sudden. "They…God I can't believe what they did!"

"Spill the guts already!." House hissed, then nodded at the lightning numbers "Ride is almost over."

"They kicked her out," House had never been claustrophobic, but all of sudden the cabin of the elevator seemed too small to him. "I really…I was there and I have no idea how this happened. I don't know where the fuck that came from!" The oncologist got rid of his tie and forcefully rolled it around his fist. "We were almost done with the meeting, just a few more heads up, and last thing I know we were voting to fire Cuddy."

"Voting to fire her?"

House knew repeating Wilson last words wasn't helpful, and it made him look stupid. But the force of the news he have just received was crashing him, and he couldn't voice anything more difficult than that. His brain shut down, and even when the oncologist started to explain him how it happened, he had trouble following his words. Or it was simply too hard to believe. According to Wilson's version, it had been a putsch, orchestrated mainly by Dr. Miller. It was no mystery, the head of radiology have never accepted Cuddy as a boss. House knew Miller was a prick, he couldn't tell if it was a sexist issues or if he was just interested in her position, but he have never really cared about it. Cuddy could very well look after herself, and as far as he knew, there have been a real problem with Miller. However in that moment, all his efforts were focused on trying to figure out how he have managed to convince other people, the members of the board of all people, to get rid of the best thing PPTH would have ever had.

The elevator stopped and the door opened. Wilson urged out chucking the tie in his pocket, but stopped when he realized House wasn't behind him. Annoyed, clearly pissed at his friend who seemed not to realize the dimension of the situation, the oncologist turned back and looked at him waving his hands to House. But when he looked at his friend's face, he found him lost.

At first, Wilson was glad he have finally realized how serious the situation was. But after a while, the oncologist found out the news itself wasn't what was puzzling House. Because he wasn't puzzled, at all. He was shocked all right, but he didn't really seem too taken aback because of what had happened to Cuddy per se… Standing on the open door, House felt out of breath all of sudden, a shiver of terror running down his spine. He slowly shook his head, blazed and confused, his eyes absently staring at Wilson, who fought back a shiver of his own and stepped forward.

"House," he said in a low voice, cautious. "C'mon, we're her friends. We have to be with her now. She needs us-"

House totally agreed with him. He had no doubt despite everything, despite their daily fights and years of confrontation, if someone was supposed to be with Cuddy in that moment, if there was someone she wanted, that was them. Still, he was unable to move, unable to speak and almost to breathe.

He looked up at Wilson again, but didn't move. All he could do, despite his brain telling him he had to follow the oncologist, was shook his head again, defeated. And mutter a few words while the elevator doors closed, dragging him away from there.

"It's me," Wilson caught in his friend painful whisper. "It's about me."


	2. Chapter 2

_The unthinkable happened: Cuddy got fired. As you can imagine, this will have some consequences at PPTH, bigger than what anybody would think…_

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CHAPTER 2

Safe.

It was how he played, since after the elevator took him back to the fourth floor.

The news spread fast, it was clear by the stunned and shocked faces he ran into on his way back to his office. In every hallway, his ears caught whispers and murmurs about Cuddy being fired, but he kept on walking, living the moment like inside a bubble. Once back to the office, House ignored his team. They were all standing in the conference room, waiting for him like lost boy scouts in the jungle, but he barely saw them.

Instead, he headed straight to his office and locked the door behind him. The blinds soon followed, he didn't really know what he wanted to do but he knew he didn't want anybody to witness. His heart was pounding so fast in his chest, that he could feel it in his head too. He was a mess, he felt a mess and although he knew his team could easily guess the recent events were affecting him, he didn't want them to see how much.

He didn't want them to guess why.

_It's about me,_ he thought again. _They got rid of her because of me. Because she was the only one protecting me, the only who always believed in me no matter what-_

The guilt growing inside him was too much to bear. House felt out of breath all of sudden, and frantically took off his jacket slamming it on the chair. Holding his right leg, he limped to the balcony and stepped outside, hoping the fresh air could give him some relief. But he wasn't looking for relief: he was looking for an absolution, because the more he thought about that, the more he blamed himself. All those years working at PPTH, were dotted of moments Cuddy had stepped up for him; filled with chances she had given him, swallowing his crappy behavior because she knew the pay off was worthy. Never, he had never thought her behave could have turned her into a scapegoat. Nowhere in his right mind, House would have guessed she might had been a target. Because she was the best dean that hospital - any hospital - could have asked for.

_I screwed her,_ House stated to himself stepping outside, swallowing two Vicodin straight from the bottle. _I screwed her, and I didn't even notice I was. I didn't mean to-_

House already knew that kind of thoughts would have been with him for a long time, along with the stifling sense of guilt trapping his heart. He would have probably never stopped to beat himself up for that.

Then, his desperate seek for air to refresh his brain had him look down, at the space in front of PPTH's main entrance. Worst timing ever, because in that moment Cuddy exited the hospital carrying a box in her hands. Despite the distance, House didn't fail to recognize some of the items inside the box, mainly the frames with her personal photos and her private stuff. But something inside him twitched in pain and shame, especially when he spotted her lab coat crumbled inside the box. The fierce and confident way she walked the distance heading to the parking, her chin proudly up and undefeated, didn't really help to ease the way he felt. His hands gripped the railing and he held his breath. His brain tried to have him scream and call her name, but before he could decide if surrender or not to his mind, she was gone.

Out of his sight, and out of his life.

* * *

At first she thought, at least, she would have had some days off. Days to relax, decompress and take a break from the vortex of events that sucked her in. But it hadn't last long. Once having cleaned up her loft, as she had always told herself she wanted to, after having finally read that book she had never been able to finish, and watched those movies she had bought long time ago and never even unwrapped, the truth she had tried to ignore had eventually hit her.

She was unemployed.

Apparently, what back then, when she had been asked to guide PPTH and through the years had contributed to create that aura of power around her, had finally became a double-edged sword. Slacking on her neck, and having her head roll on the ground leaving a bloody trail.

They had been smart, so smart she hadn't see it coming. That was what pissed her off the most. She wasn't mad at those who had voted to fire her, after all only one vote had made the difference. She was mad herself, for having been unable to see what Miller was building behind her back. Cuddy had never expected someone to eventually do what was, after all, the simplest math ever. She was the only who could handle House, the only one he respected and in his way obeyed to no matter his manners: to fire her, and deprive him of his shelter, would have given the hospital some quakes at the beginning. But if that leaded to get rid of House's too on the long-term, some immediate bumps were the least of his concerns.

But she wasn't used to auto commiseration. Not Lisa Cuddy.


	3. Chapter 3

_Here we go! Thanks everybody for the reviews and reaction to this crazy idea, it's good to see you're involved. Now it's time to see if and how, Cuddy will fight back. After all, she's a strong woman and it's not easy to get rid of her._

* * *

CHAPTER 3

It was a nice warm summer evening, and her home seemed too small and claustrophobic in the heat of the season. For once, she have switched from hot to iced tea, and was sipping a generous glass of it under the porch, with a book and a notepad on her lap. Despite the season, there was a nice breeze and that was why she have chosen to stay outside. The book was for fun, the notepad to help her plan a strategy for her future. However, while she was at page 103 of the book, the note was still empty and untouched.

There was no point in working on her future, it didn't depend on her after all. She was well-known in the medical ambient, she had a great reputation and a solid curriculum: but there were at least two dark spots too hard to ignore. Lisa Cuddy was the one who have aired Dr. Gregory House and, on the long-term, she have been fired for that. She did have offers, her phone haven't known breaks, but nothing convinced so far her. The irony was, they were all about a field position: back to be a full-time doctor running down wards, and she couldn't tell how that was supposed to make her feel. For years, House have done nothing but telling her she wasn't a real doctor anymore. Part of her wanted to prove him wrong, but there was another one questioning her own ability, pondering if she could still be able to practice.

A soft roar shook her from her thoughts. With a grimace she looked up at sky, hoping some rain could really come and refresh the air, but she frowned puzzled when saw the stars shining with no clouds in sight. Cuddy was just thinking she might have mistaken it, when she heard it again. Then she looked at the street, and saw House's bike coming fast and stop abruptly with a shrieking noise in front of her home. Still more confused than anything, Cuddy put down the glass and stood up, she took a couple of steps forward but didn't leave the porch, standing there and watching House took off his helmet.

He was too distant for her to see, and the lack of light didn't help, but by the slow and uncertain way he moved coming off the bike, Cuddy could tell something was wrong. A sensation confirmed, when she saw how heavily he dragged himself toward the building, his limp heavy as she have rarely seen it. Alarmed, the woman moved another step forward but stopped when he looked up at her. It was odd, but by the way he froze it seemed like, despite coming to her place, he was surprised, if not even upset, to find her there.

Now that he was looking in her direction, and a little closer, Cuddy gulped down. He seemed speechless, and confused as much as she was, but there was more. House looked like someone who had just fought a bear bare handed, and although there weren't any physical signs, she could tell he was a mess. For the first time since she have left the hospital, she had to face what have worried her the most; it had been two weeks, and she haven't seen or heard of him. Wilson have come more than once, but his lips were sealed about House. The oncologist have told her he was working like a maniac and, God helped them all, he volunteered for clinic hours. Nothing that could actually answer her questions, as to how he was doing. She knew House, she knew he was probably feeling guilty and responsible, and she have wished he could find the guts to call her, so she could to tell him he shouldn't have, that she didn't blame him at all-

But he was Gregory House, and the ghost of him standing in her alleyway looked like someone who have beaten himself up every minute of the past days, and she wondered what could have finally brought him there. Whatever it have been however, the moment their eyes locked, it seemed to lose the strength. Cuddy saw him deflate, almost falling on the ground instead of just turn back and run away as she have expected. Quickly, she left the porch and approached him. He jolted a little when she touched him and straightened up, which was a good thing because, despite her intention, Cuddy doubted she would have been able to sustain him for real. If anything, her touch ended up giving him some strength, and when he pushed her away Cuddy realized her help wasn't what had brought him there. And, if hadn't been clear enough, it became when he spoke.

"You should stop doing this Cuddy," he hissed reaching the porch and slamming his body on the bench. "Taking care of me. It has already cost you enough."

"Well," she huffed leaning with her back on the banister. "I doubt my neighbors will fire me for keeping you on your feet."

By the glare House shot her, Cuddy could tell he didn't appreciate her joke. Not that she cared, if he was there to have her being mad at him for losing her job because of him, he have literally knocked at the wrong door. And she wanted him to know.

"They fired you because of me," House stated, nevertheless.

"Yep, they did," she said without missing a bit, clearly not the kind of reaction he was waiting for. "How many times have you said this to yourself House? How many times have you repeated yourself it's your fault?"

Too many, for sure. More than how he could and wanted to remember, like a broken record. Nothing could erase that track. He had sunk himself into work, the lamest he could find, just to stay away from any possible dangerous decision, trying to keep a low profile. He thought, if he could just behave, maybe they wouldn't have gotten rid of him too. He thought he shouldn't give them any reason to fire him, that he had to fight back and shove their ballsy move up their asses.

But he have caved soon. He couldn't work like that, he couldn't live like that. He had denied himself long enough when he was a child, and wasn't willing to do it anymore. Not to please that bunch of resentful bureaucrats, above all knowing that would have probably changed nothing. Not to mention, he would have never had back what he wanted.

What he have gone there to claim.

"I can't make it without you Cuddy," he said, struggling to stand up, feeling his body heavy as hell. "There's no point in fighting. Even if I behave now, in a few months they'll kick me out too-"

"House, you don't need-"

Cuddy shut down immediately when his fingers rested on her lips. It was a gentle touch, but the pressure was still enough to tell her he was serious, and above all determined. The confidence in his eyes was so strong she lost her breath somewhere, and gulped down when she noticed there was something else. Some hint of fear that was supposed to make her feel stronger, but instead ended up making her shiver.

"Yes I do," he said. "I need you Cuddy. Not to cover my ass as you've always done…I've never realized how much you've always done for me until I've lost it, all of it. Since from when you hired me, you've been part of my life every day, and it was beyond the job," Cuddy felt tears swollen her eyes but was unable to blink and wipe them away, bewitched by his eyes and words. "I thought I could show them I can do it, that I could have been a normal, boring, caring, cautious and manageable doctor. But I can't…I don't want to. Not if there's nobody there to state the difference. They fired you because they thought you enabled me, that you allowed me everything. But you gave me limits, Cuddy. You've always had, and I could always count on the line you gave me as a warning not to trespass."

His face softened, but his eyes kept digging into her. House removed his fingers from her lips, and moved his hand caressing her cheek. He felt her froze a little, but was well aware it was because of his words and not because of his touch. She was afraid, scared he could go on and say things they've both kept hidden. Truth was, he wanted to scare her. He have lost his perfect boss, the one who could throw obstacles on his way and at the same time make his path easier, and soon he would have lost his job too… A job wasn't worth it; not the pain of the last days; not the emptiness of walking around PPTH knowing there was no chance he could run into her; not the nausea he felt every time he looked at what used to be her office, and see it occupied by Dr. Miller.

"I don't want to be there without Cuddy. I don't want to be anywhere without you. I don't need to be a doctor, I don't need to work for a hospital, I don't need Wilson trying to put some sense in my mind," he tried to smile but couldn't, he was at a turning point of his life and smiling seemed out of place, because of the risk he was about to take. "I need you Cuddy, I've always had."

Cuddy's mouth took the last words away from him. Her lips were wet and salted because of the tears streaming from her eyes, and that made their kiss almost unbearable in sweetness and passion. House didn't wait, his mind didn't even try to warn him he should have been careful despite her response, that he couldn't accept that kiss as a sign given the circumstances. He didn't doubt her response, not even for a second. He kissed back, their arms and tongues found each other and joined together. They've had 20 years of doubts and hints, and frankly that wasn't much of a surprise. That was why House deepened the kiss, confident, knowing, thanks to everything they've been through, the time for words have gone.

In the last days, he have blamed himself for a lot of things, for being responsible for Cuddy's dismissal and having missed the signs. He have spent hours, entire nights, thinking about all she have done for him during the years. By the end of that long, exhausting movie, he have asked himself why in hell she could have accepted to put up with his crap for all those years. Asking himself how could have she kept fighting, at the same time for him and against him, for his own good. The answer have been easy, damn stupid actually, and that was the second reason why he was cursing himself. So many years wasted; so much time spent playing instead of acting like adults; so many words thrown out randomly in jokes and remarks instead of choosing them, and utter out the only ones that really mattered.

"I love you Cuddy," House whispered once they broke apart from the kiss, he held her neck gently and rested his forehead on hers, keeping her steady. "I don't give a damn about my job, as long as I can have you."

As that thought attacked his mind, House felt the urge to kiss her again. Their mouths met and lips locked, arms crossed and body slammed on each other finally able to release the power they've kept inside for so long, his hands spreading on her back and hers nailing his shoulder to pull him down to her.

"I hate this House," she soughed back, breathless, gripping the leather of his jacket with her fingers, clinging desperately into him. "Why have we waited so long?"

Damned him if he knew! It was one of those questions you hate to be asked, because you know if you'd have the answer you would have never let things go the wrong way. If he had known why, he wouldn't have waited to get to that point. To ruin her career and be about to lose his job too, and give up about everything; he would have never found himself about to prove those assholes at PPTH medicine could be different, that it could work effectively and save people even in his peculiar way. She have helped him to show them that, for so many years. She have been her brave and reliable navigator in that journey, but now she couldn't know that anymore.

"Work for me," he whispered with his lisp lost on her neck.

"What?"

"Work for me Cuddy," he repeated, planting small kisses on her lips, holding her thigh. "13 is taking a leave because of Huntington , there's a spot in my team-"

"I….House I can't," he really had to stop kissing her, otherwise she would have never been able to think straight and handle that conversation. "You can't hire me, they won't let you-"

"They fired the dean of medicine, I will hire a doctor," he stated, confident. He realized he had to stop kissing her too, if he wanted her to understand how serious he was. "I need one, a female one. The budget won't be touched, and they can't interfere with my decisions about my team."

"But House…Greg," she huffed at her own confusion, given both by his sudden proposal and his body hovering above her. "House you can't hire me-"

"Yes I can," he cut her off, capturing her hands. He needed her to calm down and listen to him, very carefully. "Yeah, they'll kick me out as soon as they'll have the chance, but my contract is still on the table. And it says I'm free to do whatever I want with my department, as far as I don't screw with the money. And I want you to join my team."

When she have heard him say "I love you", Cuddy have thought that was the most beautiful and unexpected thing he could have said to her. But that was even better. After all the years spent mocking her about her job, although she knew he didn't really mean it, being called to be part of his team sent an excited thrill down her spine. But she couldn't, they would have found a way to stop him, they've kicked her out of the door and they wouldn't have let her come back from the window.

"We can't do this House," she whispered defeated, squeezing his hands and resting her forehead on his chest. "I don't want you to do this out of guilt-"

"I'm not doing this for guilt Cuddy, trust me," he took her chin up forcing her to look at him, grinning at her." Guilt has nothing to do with this. It's about what I feel for you, and I feel I have the chance to do something for you. I've taken things from you for years, now it's time to give back," his grin melted into a soft smile and he brushed her lips with one finger. "I'm being nothing but selfish Cuddy, I'm doing this for myself too. You're right, they will probably fire me no matter what as soon as they have the chance, but at least we're going to have fun with it."

"Why do you always have to find someone to screw with?" she moaned playfully.

"They started it," he stated childishly. "Don't tell me the idea doesn't tickle you. We can show them we don't give a damn about what they did to you, or what they could do to me. It will end soon but hell…isn't it worth, prove them wrong and pay them back even for a while?"

"House, how can we work together?" she asked, shaking her head but losing herself in his arms. "We would be constantly fighting, arguing about everything, messing with each other with someone's life on the line."

"Isn't that what we've done for years?" he asked teasingly, once again House directed her eyes to him so she could see his provoking smirk. "Or you just can't stand the idea of me being your boss, for once?"

The way her mouth relaxed in a large smile filled House's heart, and made it beat fast. He simply nailed it, describing their dynamic and making a good point in the end. That alone, was enough. House didn't need to add anything more, especially when she stood on her tip toes to kiss him again, then they headed back to the bench and sat together. She leaned on him, and he wrapped his left arm around her caressing her shoulder, their hands looking for each other and finally relaxing in the pale light of the lamp outside the porch.

"So," Cuddy asked after a while with a tentative voice. "Boss?"

"Don't sweat it Cuddy," he muttered back, kissing the top of her head. "I'll tell the guys to go easy with the rookie."


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry for the long hiatus, I was enjoying some holidays and I didn't have the computer with me. Now I am back, and I thought it was about time to move forward. We left House and Cuddy in front of her place, discussing the shocking turn of events of their lives. In the original version, this chapter and the previous one were actually one thing: the good thing of going through stories again, is that I get to change things, and I figured two parts were better. So, this one picks up from the exact point where the other one stopped.

* * *

CHAPTER 4

"House, how will we make this work?" Cuddy insisted.

He rolled his eyes at her stubborn doubt, but he also felt her resistance was getting weaker and weaker. After all, she was now questioning him about the "how", instead of the "why".

"Can you imagine the reaction of the rest of the team?" Cuddy went on, and this time House bit at his bottom lip.

"Yeah," he nodded absently, toying her fingers with his. "I have to remember to set some cameras in the conference room, not to lose the magic moment. Of course, one has to be placed at the right height, to catch your vertical smile."

Cuddy rolled her eyes and chuckled, she looked up at him and gave him a teasing grin before lean on him for another kiss. Their tongues danced in a sweet fight, House moaned softly feeling her breasts on his chest, and Cuddy brushed his lap. Soon the air of the night became hot, as they roamed each other's body angrily, their brains switching off for the time being. When they broke part, a red color of life on their cheeks, they awkwardly smiled at each other. They were sharing so much physical contact, after so many years spent joking about each other's bodies, and it felt oddly familiar. They still couldn't believe it. They've finally cleared things about their feelings, ending a long-lasting dance, and yet another one was about to start. Switching roles would give them a new challenge to face, another battle to fight, although the new one had them on the same front. It wasn't going to be easy, they didn't need to say that out loud to know it, and they would have had more enemies than what they could name.

Too many, perhaps.

"We can't do this," House suddenly huffed.

Cuddy looked up at him, intrigued, and found him with his eyes closed.

"Wow, that's a quick change of mind," she said teasingly, but then he looked down at her and by the depth of his gaze she immediately took the hint.

Cuddy bit at her bottom lip, repressing a sad smile. His eyes were filled with sadness, and she could barely stand it. Then, blaming their destiny, she buried her face in his chest and held him thigh.

"You're right," she said in a suffered whisper. "We can't," another moan escaped her, and she nestled even more in his arms. "Fuck!"

House chuckled bitterly and hug her, a long sigh emptied his lungs, and he fought back the anger growing inside him for the adverse destiny. No, they couldn't, no way. If he wanted to hire her, and he did want for all the reason above, they couldn't do what they were doing in that moment. To bring her back to work at PPTH was a risk, chances were they would have been both fired, and his department closed for good. Still, there was a small possibility it could work, that thank to her he could find a balance in his way to practice, and gain a second chance from the board. However, to keep that hope alive, they had to be careful. They couldn't give them any foothold, not even the smallest thing to cling on and make a new case about them. And in that new scenario, a boss/employee relationship was a luxury they couldn't afford.

"Fuck!" House hissed too, defeated.

"House, you don't have to do this-"

"No, Lisa. I want to do it," he said, confident, caressing her cheek. "I want them to swallow this. I want them to face the moment you'll come back, and possibly keep doing what they kicked you out for even without being the boss. Helping me doing my job," this time he couldn't fight back a small tear, a lonely one rolling down his face as he saw how desperate she was. "If it doesn't work, they'll kick us both out anyway after a while. But I don't want them to win easily."

It wasn't really a romantic thing to say. Any other woman, would have probably preferred him to give up on his vengeance, and just start a relationship they should have started long before. Truth was, she shared is view. He had already told her more than what she could have asked for, and his will to have her work for him was nothing but another love confession. She couldn't tell she was happy about that, why the hell couldn't she have something completely good in her life for once? But after all, he was right. No way they would have let their plan last long, therefore eventually they would have had the chance to finally open that book together. And she couldn't even lie to herself, and deny what a thrill being part of House's team gave her.

"Then I guess," she sighed looking up, stepping away from him "This is over?"

House stared at her for a long time, silent. His mouth was still filled with her taste, his nose intoxicated with her perfume, his eyes filled with her suffered yet understanding smile. God, she was really into it! Into screwing with the board, as long as they could. How couldn't he love that woman? Did he need any more proof, that she loved him too? Was he really going to postpone a relationship with her, out of pride?

Yes, he was. He was, because she would have been at his side, and it was all that mattered. Not to mention, that didn't mean they couldn't find a way to manipulate the game.

"Yeah, it is," he said with a teasing grin, then his hand cupped her face and he leaned down on her for a kiss, the other hand touching her breasts under her shirt. "But I haven't hired you yet-"

* * *

They knew he was never on time, although since Cuddy's departure he had been more careful about that. In all fairness, he had been more careful about everything. However, that Monday morning they were all there in the conference room, a conference room they were all getting ready to leave sooner or later, sitting around the table and staring at the door waiting for someone to come in. Not House, not really…what point in waiting for him, knowing he had to come anyway?

News ran fast, Wilson was unable to keep his mouth shut and they've learned House had hired someone to replace 13. The official explanation, was that he needed a woman to balance estrogens and testosterone in the team. But once Cameron had stated it wasn't her, and that she hadn't even being asked, they've ruled out options.

Foreman, Taub and Kutner were there, mentally chewing their nails, wondering what had been in House's mind when he had decided to hire someone while knowing his department had a death sentence on it. After all, despite the fact they've all started to look for new jobs and positions, they were dying to find out who the victim was and how House had managed to convinced her.

"We have a patient," House announced, storming in the conference room holding and reading a folder, then looked at them. "A real one, we're that lucky."

His team's eyes didn't follow him as usual, but instead stayed glued to the door. They were all expecting the mysterious woman to come right after him, but they had to face the ugly truth she wasn't with him. Needless to say, the evil grin House showed them reading the situation, didn't help.

"Curiosity killed the cats," he muttered throwing the folder on the table. "25 years old, woman, fatigue, joint pain, fever-"

"Heart problems?" Foreman asked, and House shook his head no. "We can start checking infections, because of the fever."

"We should explore the possible cause of the joint pain," Taub observed checking the folder. "She's climber, lots of gym-"

"The file says she also has extreme fatigue, and a small rush," Kutner pitched in, following the flow. "It can be Lupus-"

"It's never Lupus."

Cuddy's voice came from the door, causing all the men in the room to turn in her direction. Everybody but House, who simply grinned to himself stretching his legs on the table, enjoying the appalled expressions of his male fellows. _Oh yes!_ He thought, watching their jaws touching the ground. _Priceless! _

"A-all the symptoms fit," the neurologist babbled, still thinking he was hallucinating when Cuddy walked toward them and sit at the table next to Kutner.

The young doctor immediately moved his chair away, trying to put some space between them, terribly unease as much as Taub was.

"Yeah, that's why they call Lupus "the great imitator"," she said, opening her own copy of the folder and reading it. "Why don't we focus on something else?"

"Like what?" House barked, rolling the marker on the table.

"Allergy," she said. "She also has trouble breathing, which rules out Lupus."

Still puzzled, the three fellows nodded at her observation and gasped when she stood up and took the marker, heading to the whiteboard. A low grunt came from House's mouth, quickly he lifted his cane and blocked her down on the chair with the tip of it, giving her a warning glare.

"Easy there, freshman," he stated, stretching his left hand to have the marker back, then he gave it to Foreman. "We have hierarchies here."

They stared at each other for not even a second, but nothing was said. Soon, the whiteboard was filled with the symptoms, and they started the DDX. Which quickly became a battle between Kutner and Taub on one side, and Cuddy on the other one, with House and Foreman silent and amused watchers, both thinking the same thing.

That wouldn't have probably last, but it would have been damn fun!


	5. Chapter 5

_I can see you guys like the idea of Cuddy as part of House's team, it was an interesting thing for me to work on. Of course, things will be anything by smooth in this new arrangement._

* * *

CHAPTER 5

"So," Wilson huffed absently, pouring mayonnaise on his fries and hoping it could discourage House from taking them. "How's the freshman doing?"

"I know he's short, but Taub is not that young," House muttered, then rolled his eyes at the oncologist's gaze. "She can lie about her age how much as she wants, but Cuddy is old enough not to be a freshman anymore."

"Well House, as you kindly used to remind her, she hasn't strictly practiced in a long time. And you hardly settle for non-competent fellows so-"

If Wilson's statement was supposed to actually end, House couldn't tell. He paused his furious cutting on his steak and looked at the oncologist, not sure why he suddenly felt the need to punch him. He didn't know, not the real reasons… To Wilson's knowledge, House had hired Cuddy as part of his team out of guilt for having been the cause of her dismissal. And despite the oncologist's mocking, he could totally live with that. Better let Wilson gloat about him finally taking responsibilities of his own actions, than let him know the truth behind it; that him and Cuddy could have been celebrating the first month of their relationship, if only one of them could have been able to give up on pride and stubbornness.

He would have never heard the end of it, and he still felt himself so unstable about their call that he couldn't bear being questioned about it.

"So what?" He finally said with a shrug. "She's smart, she's a badass...and she makes my team look way prettier."

"Yeah, of course House. Keep making this about something stupid," the oncologist muttered, dismissively waving one hand at him. "Listen, it was your idea, I found it odd but nice," he folded his arms, staring at House. "Is that at least useful?"

"For who?"

"For you, for the hospital. For Cuddy. Or this is just another way to make her miserable?"

"Are you serious?" House blurted, shocked. "She'd be jobless without me, probably living in a house invaded by used tea bags and cat's crap-"

"She doesn't have cats, and I hardly believe she could forget where the trash bin is," the oncologist stated, then he became more serious. "Really House, how is she doing? I'm not saying it has something to do with you, but she switched from being the dean of medicine to be part of a team. She did have patients, but being on a differential, focused on the same patient for a long time-"

"Geez Wilson, does Cuddy really look like someone who needs someone else to hold her hand? And above all," he huffed leaning down on the table and removing with surgical precision the mayo-free fries from Wilson's plate. "Do you really think I'm the right one for the task?"

"You're her friend House, you proved it," the oncologist clarified, sighing at his emptying side dish. "Just…keep it this way, ok?"

Absently chewing with his mouth open, House stared at his friend. Glad the food in his mouth gave him a reason to swallow down, because something inside him itched for a second, his brain eager to screw with him and make clear being Cuddy's friend wasn't really his goal. But he held back. That was none of Wilson's business, and as long as he would have been Cuddy's boss it weren't theirs either. Their working relationship was the only one that mattered for the time being.

"Don't worry Wilson," House nodded at him, leaning back on the chair. "I'll keep an eye on her. Nobody from the team is bulling her."

"Good to know," the oncologist approved, relieved.

"That's my exclusive privilege," he added then, the grin on his face immediately washing away the few stash of hope Wilson had managed to gather in the last minutes.

The three men stepped out of the car at the same time, Foreman and Taub wearing sunglasses to fight back the shining sun, while Kutner immediately looked at the farm waiting for them. Snorting at the large swamp of mud, standing between them and the fence entrance. He turned back toward his coworkers, ready to jokingly ask them if they've brought their boots. Instead he found them focused on the car slowly approaching, smiling and absently shaking their heads, a little chuckle escaping their mouths when Cuddy stepped out of the car, not so pleased by the view of the mud pit waiting for them.

"She's not going to come here," Taub muttered keeping his eyes on Cuddy, who seemed reluctant in walking the remaining distance between her and the rest of the team. "Not with those shoes."

"We did tell her where we had to go," Foreman stated then, observing the former dean of medicine fumbling to get the medical bag and put it around her shoulder, before closing the car and walking toward them. "I actually thought we'd lost her a couple of times on the way here."

"She's," Kutner offered, trying not laugh at the troubles Cuddy was having on her high heels. "I'd say she's a cautious driver."

"Yeah," the neurologist mumbled again, then shrugged as Cuddy approached and turned back smirking at the two men. "Do you think she has a clue of what's expecting her?"

To be honest, Kutner wasn't sure they knew it either. Sure, they were more used to House's habits to send them searching patient's homes or working place. But that was the first time they've been sent to inspect an ostrich's farm, and that meant problems for all of them. Cuddy being there, with her 200$ dollar dress and her fancy shoes looking like an Eskimo in the desert, was honestly the last of his concerns. Although, he had to admit, the sight was extremely funny.

"Ok," Cuddy said once she caught up with them, huffing and diving one hand in her hair. "Ready for the hunt?"

"We are," Taub muttered studying her outfit, not really the right one to deal with that they had to face.

It took Cuddy some seconds to focus on the small smiles and chuckles of her coworkers, then she looked over at the mud on their way to the farm, and beyond that at the ostriches stuffed inside the fences, running randomly all around. She had no doubts House had proved some sort of sexual pleasure, sending them there. He was sure they had to search the patient's farm to confirm the diagnosis, which seemed to fit the disease: fever, myalgia, weakness, irritability, neck pain and stiffness, headache, eye irritation and photophobia had been on the whiteboard for a day. Then confusion and aggressiveness, followed by depression and drowsiness, had come too, lightening up in House's mind the Crimean-Congo fever. She knew he had been even more excited learning the man ran an ostrich's farm. As usual, he had dismissed her remark he could have saved them all time and the patient a lot of pain, if he'd only read the information written on the folder. But when he had sent them there, with the task to knock down a couple of animals, take samples and search for traces of the diseases in their organism, Cuddy had realized there was no way to talk him out of that. Too bad convincing a nine feet tall animal, weighting 300 libbers, to do what you want was not easy.

Cuddy was still staring at the huge animals inside the fence, and realized since the patient was the one taking care of them, and he had spent the last 4 days in the hospital, those big goofy birds must have been starving. Moreover, they were probably pissed. When she sensed the rest of the group was staring at her, Cuddy tried to ignore it, as always. After the first couple of days in House's team, the novelty of her being there had calmed down, but it still happened sometimes. And imagine why they were all looking at her in that moment, clearly waiting for her move, wasn't that hard to figure out.

Well, if they were expecting her to chicken out for a bunch of mud and stinky animals, they didn't know her. She was Lisa Cuddy, she had spent almost ten years facing his majesty the jerk Gregory House on daily basis; it took more than that to scare her away.

"Good then," she said taking off the blouse. "Let's go."

The sardonic smiles on the men's faces froze on their lips. At first, they thought she was just trying to show off and give them a bait, so they could take the lead. But they were taken aback, especially when she kicked off her shoes and headed bare feet to the mud pit, adjusting the bag with the medical supplies on her shoulder. The men exchanged some odd looks, questioning one another about what to do. Being the older of House's fellows, Foreman felt the need to take the initiative and shrugged. He followed Cuddy, soon finding his feet trapped in the mud, losing one of his shoes in it when he tried to pull out his left foot. Muttering a curse in between his teeth, he looked over at Cuddy. She had sludge all over her ankles, her feet disappearing in the swamp at every step as she made her way to the other side. She reached the end of the mud part, then nonchalantly jumped over the fence despite her short skirt. Foreman gave his shoe a last look, as it disappeared in the brown abyss, then he sighed and speeded up. Hoping he could get to Cuddy in time to make himself useful, instead of just staying there and watch her do the job.

Because she was now inside the fence, studying the running animals as if she was just about to jump on one of them.


	6. Chapter 6

_Cuddy have been chasing ostrich all day; will she be able to leave the experience behind? After all, it's just a job...isn't it?_

* * *

CHAPTER 6

Once her body was completely dried out, she took off the bathrobe and grabbed the clothes from the bed, wearing the jeans and t-shirt she had prepared before taking a long and hot bath. Sighing at the comfortable sensation of clean and dry clothes on her skin, Cuddy wrapped a towel around her head. She was ok for now, but she thought she would have needed a second shower before going to bed, to get rid of the sensation of being wrapped in a plastic bag.

In front of the mirror in her bedroom, she took off the towel and tossed it on the bed, studying her face. She was tired, physically tired, but not mentally. It was new for her. For many years, being the dean of medicine had drained her energies; to run a hospital was no joke, and it was a task that didn't end leaving the office. Work always followed her at home, haunting her mind even when she was eating, or trying to get some sleep. That didn't happen anymore; since from when she had become a House's fellow, the only fatigue she felt was the physical one of a long day. That fatigue made her feel alive, there was more satisfaction in knowing their stunt at the farm had saved a life, no matter the crazy things she had done, than in a lot of things she had accomplished as dean.

But she was no fool, she didn't even try to lie to her own reflection in the mirror, because she did miss her job.

And she missed what she could have had, in that moment, with him. What she could have gotten instead of a pair of dirty shoes, a pile of clothes ready for the trash bin and ostrich's feathers in her purse. Absently brushing her wet hairs, Cuddy smiled sadly at her face in the mirror, thinking what a weird twist her life had taken, switching from being everybody's boss to chase African's giant birds. And how strange it was, that she could find both good and bad things in that. Good was, she was still working. Even better, being a doctor on the field again. Moreover, he had the chance to stick around PPTH, keeping an eye on the situation and on what Miller was doing. Not to mention, for the first time in years she didn't have to worry about House coming in late…

However the bad one, found a way to her mind every time she got lost in looking at her bed. Imagine him, see the two of them together, like they've been the night he had come to her a month before… It was easy, so easy that sometimes it hurt her. Especially when she realized that night, however magic, had been just one.

And it wasn't enough. To see him every day, interacting so close with him every single day, was sometimes harder to digest than losing her job. The consolation he was probably sharing her repressed frustration, was only a partial one, and couldn't entirely ease the aching feeling of deprivation that sometime caught her.

She had brushed her hair for a long time, lost in the train of her thoughts, before she became aware of the knocking at the door. Huffing to herself, annoyed and hoping that unexpected visit wouldn't have ruined her plans of total relax for the night, Cuddy walked downstairs and opened the door, frowning surprised at Wilson standing there.

"Hi," she greeted him.

"Hi Cuddy," he puffed, unease for some reason.

"What brings you here?" she asked, even more curios given how the oncologist seemed to be debated between say something and run away.

"I heard you've had a rough day," he finally said, his hands nervously digging in his pockets, those caring and worried eyes of him unable to look at her straight. "I was just wondering if…you know-"

"C'mon in Wilson," Cuddy cut him off with a smile, keeping the door open for him. "Maybe something to drink will help you get out what you really came to say."

The man rolled his eyes as he stepped in, relaxed and grateful with her for easing the tension.

"Looks like you're spending too much time with House already."

He muttered jokingly at her remark, then followed her in the kitchen and nodded at the bottle of ice tea she was offering, choosing it over the beer in the other hand.

"Actually, since he's rarely around the patient and have us do all the dirty work, we don't really see him much," she explained with a smirk, taking a couple of glasses. "I can't believe I let him do this for years."

"But you know he always keeps an eye on everything, no matter what."

"And God help me if I can figure out how he does it," Cuddy muttered sitting at the kitchen table in front of her friend, offering her glass for a toast that the oncologist greeted back.

"I'm not sure, but I think he has some spies around the hospital."

"Then we have a mystery inside the mystery," Cuddy mumbled with a thoughtful expression, an accomplice smile on her face. "How can he have someone on his side, if nobody can stand him?"

"Levers," the oncologist stated knowingly, sipping his tea and nodding to himself. "Everybody can be moved with the right lever, it's just about find it."

"I see," Cuddy mumbled back, with the same knowing look on her face, then sighed and leaned back on the chair. "So, what's the lever you want to use with me?"

"You're kidding me? You'll end up turning it on me in the blink of an eye!" He protested, but then his attempt to sneak out faded and he huffed at her smiling, but steady, face. "I just want to be sure you're doing good Cuddy. That's me, I can't help but care, you know."

"I know Wilson, and I really appreciate it," she comforted him, affectionately squeezing his hand. "But there's nothing to worry about."

"Working for House," the oncologist insisted, serious. "It's hard for everybody, and it's even more for you since you used to be his boss. Not to mention, the way the rest of the team might see you-"

"Wilson, my knowledge about how to handle House works both ways. And the team…it's just a bit odd for everybody, but we'll get used to it-"

"Eventually?" Wilson cut her off with a soft voice. Cuddy bit at her bottom lip, and he saw the chance to push further. "Cuddy, how long do you think this can last? They fired you to get rid of House. It's easier for them to fire him too, now that Miller is in charge. At least a miracle happens, it's just a matter of time before they'll shut the department down. What will you do then?"

He was being mean, intentionally. He was deliberately trying to tell her the truth as he saw it, not even trying to picture her a nice lie, in which she could have hide herself. He wanted her to face the ugly truth, that working for House could be even more dangerous than hiring him in the first place. That being one of his fellows could mark a dark spot in her career, more than what give him a job and take his crap for years had already done. House could praise himself to be the one loving to tell the truth no matter what, but the oncologist knew he would have never been able to tell those things to her.

Not because he didn't care. Wilson knew House meant well when she hired her…but it had come out of guilty, and it couldn't be good. Cuddy was more reasonable, she could be as stubborn as his friend could, but she could still recognize the limits. And he had to apply to her rationality to help her out, somehow. He was basically telling her she was making a mistake, that working for House was a huge one no matter what she thought, and yet… After a while, Wilson concluded she wasn't aware of that, that she had no clue of the absent smile brought to her face by random thoughts she couldn't hold back. Because that was by far the last reaction one could have had in the same circumstances, smiling so freely in her situation wasn't something people should have done. Unless there were more cards on the table than what he could see.

"Cuddy," he asked again, a low puzzled whisper coming out of his mouth as he looked at her relaxed face. "Cuddy what…what's going on?"

The puzzled look on her face was so genuine and true, that the oncologist almost felt bad, almost giving up in pushing any further. But he was now completely hooked by that little mystery, and even if he knew he shouldn't have, he decided to do this best to figure that out.

"You're smiling. I'm telling you you're making a mistake, I am questioning your decision which usually pisses you off, and you're smiling like you don't even care-"

"Nothing," she said, so quickly that Wilson could have told she was lying. Even if she hadn't jumped on her feet, putting a couple of meters between them the fastest she could. "Nothing is going on Wilson. It's work…I'm sure House keeps you more than updated on how he loves to screw with us."

"But "us" never included you before," the oncologist stated, slowly standing up, sensing his friend was on the defensive and carefully approaching, freezing when he saw her step back, cornering herself like a caged animal.

And all of sudden, he had to wonder who that "us" they had both uttered was really referring to.

"It's just a job Wilson," Cuddy urged to clarify seeing him hesitate, but she sounded desperate. "We're all doing well so far, maybe we'll be able to-"

"To let House keep the job?"

The oncologist cut her off, as he took another step toward her. He could see she was unease, but the sensation she was hiding something that had tickled his mind was now more than a shadow of suspect taking shape in his mind. And it was too strong to be ignored and kicked out.

"And in the meantime?" He insisted.

Feeling with her back against the wall, by any possible meaning, and wondering when Wilson had become so keen in catching people's feelings, Cuddy sighed and folded her arms, adding yet another barricade. If her fingers nervously fidgeting and her eyes wandering anywhere but on him weren't enough to show her uneasiness, Wilson distinctively saw how tensed her shoulders were. He felt bad, once again cursing himself for being ready to nail her weak moment.

"It's not just about a job, isn't it?" He insisted, doing his best not to sound too harsh.

He stepped forward again, then stopped. He seemed to realize his approach might have been too straight, and felt bad for it, but he couldn't believe what he was thinking. And he wished Cuddy could prove him wrong.

"You know it's not Cuddy…House knows it too. Why…what the hell are you two doing?"

"Nothing," Cuddy said again, flatly and empty.

But he couldn't be satisfied with such an answer. Mostly because he felt like she was being honest, and that didn't make any sense to him.

"Cuddy, you two," Wilson said, this time his voice sounded genuinely gentle and she didn't fail to notice. She looked up at him and tilted her head on one side, begging him to stop. "Please don't tell me you are really pretending-"

"That we're not having a relationship?" Cuddy cut him off. Her voice was a painful moan, and something immediately ached inside Wilson for the deep and blunt resignation in her words. "No, we're not…because we're not having one."

"Then what?" The man babbled. "You're just…giving up? Both of you-"

"We've just…made a choice."

She said that in a low voice. Cuddy wasn't sure that was how House would have put it, but since there was nothing between them she didn't feel like she had to be worried for the lack of consultation with him.

"And this…works for him?" The oncologist asked. He wasn't aggressive anymore, because the idea two persons, who he really believed were made for each other, were ignoring that for some twisted personal revenge was draining him out. "Is this the right one?"

"Maybe not," she confessed. It was a sad statement, but Wilson frowned puzzled when that absent serene smile came to her face again, her eyes apparently lost in glancing not at him but beyond, somewhat to the porch outside the window. "But it's what we want Wilson."

"And is it-"

Slowly, the idea they were really putting work, and God knew what else, before their private lives, before something he suspected they've hold back for years, was starting to settle in his mind. Any other…with any other person in the world, he would have probably screamed, frustrated, trying to show them that there was another way. But for some odd reasons, that twisted decision seemed to make sense. At least for them, only for them.

Therefore, might as well accept their screwed up vision of the world, and hope they knew what they were doing.

"Is it worth?"

"Either it is," Cuddy whispered, glancing quickly at him and trying to shrug, to show him she was forcing herself not to think about it too much. "Or we want to believe it."


	7. Chapter 7

_Thank you everybody for the interest you're showing for this story. I had a lot of fun writing it, imagining the different scenario, and I am glad I can share. House being the boss might sound funny, but never forget who is involved here._

_Oh, and please remember I am not a doctor!_

* * *

CHAPTER 7

"Everybody lies!"

"That's your answer for everything! Damn it House, why can't you just try to trust people?"

"We don't have time to trust people. If its Diabetic ketoacidosis, coma could come at any moment, then it will be late to save her!"

"You can't give insulin to someone who hasn't diabetes. You might cause a hyperglycemia, you'll crash her-"

"Yeah yeah yeah, I could kill her, we get it," House blurted mockingly, waving one hand to show her the rest of the team, still standing on the door of the conference room where Cuddy fierce protest had stopped them. "And we also get she might die if we don't give her the treatment-"

"For a disease she doesn't have?" Cuddy looked at the rest of the team, as she remembered them the huge leak in House's reasoning. "There's no mention of diabetes in her medical record, no earlier cases among her family. You can't assume she's sick just because it fits your diagnosis."

"50% of people who develop diabetes in adult ages aren't aware of it."

"Don't play the statistic card House, we need more than a percentage to allow this-"

"I don't give a shit about statistic. I'm saying Diabetic ketoacidosis can be the first episode of late developed diabetes, especially when it's related to a previous trauma-"

"Which she didn't have," Cuddy pointed out. but House ignored her.

"-or as a consequences of surgery. If the secretion of controinsular hormones had been screwed by an unqualified surgeon, she has no chance to know. And guess who had a thyroid cist surgically removed a month ago?"

"Oh my God House!"

She closed her eyes and bit at her bottom lip. Foreman, Kutner and Taub kept staring at them, enjoying the show they had been used to for years. Despite the not so easy situation they weren't getting bored at all.

"You're really assuming a low risky operation might have messed up with her hormones?"

"Duh, like you don't know what the thyroid works for," he shoot drily, lingering on the words and causing Cuddy to bit at her bottom lip, nailed in her pride. Then, he looked at the men standing on the door and repeated his order. "Give her the insulin."

"House, no."

To everybody's surprise, as House walked past her heading to his office stating he had nothing more to add, Cuddy grabbed his arm. The team looked at them and gasped, a little unused to see someone touch their boss, and Cuddy too seemed to sense it might have been too much, because she let him go. But her eyes didn't leave him, she paid attention he looked at her straight before going on, and tried to ignore the mess of emotions inside her.

"If you're wrong, you'll end up killing her," she hissed right in his face, the rest of the team wasn't close enough to catch the genuine caring, other than the firm warning, in her voice. "If Miller finds out you're treating her over such a small possibility, you'll give him another arrow to use against you. This is what you hired me for House. Preventing you from give him another pretext to kick you out."

The solid grip of her hand on his arm didn't bother him, it never did when she touched him, no matter what. Neither her words bugged him, since she was right. Not even the feeling of the team's eyes studying their interaction, disturbed him. Picked as separate ones, none of those things affected him; however, mixed together they were a deadly combination. Moreover, to hear her openly bring up the subject of her hiring, crashed the defenses he had built up since from her first day working for him. Everything, every denied glance, every omitted word, every touch fought back and swallowed down word in the past months, had been his weapon against himself. The one he had used not to let anything leak out with the rest of the team, to never risk anybody could guess or think there might have been something between them, other than their long lasting and twisted friendship, which had survived Cuddy's firing and the radical switch in their positions. Yet there he was, panicking for one single thing she had said.

All of a sudden, he was a mess. His breath skipped and he gulped down, wondering how he could sort himself out of that. How could she be so determined and careless despite everything, questioning his choice for the umpteenth time, even more when he thought she wasn't doubting it at all?

But that wasn't about them. Even if it was, he was not willing to let her act like the brave one, leaving him drowning in his own shit. With an abrupt gesture, he shrugged her off but instead of stepping back and run away, he moved closer disrupting all the inches he had on her, till she was the one forced to step back and look up at him.

"I've hired you out of guilt," he hissed in a low voice, loud enough for the rest of the team to hear it. "And I've hired you to do what I tell you to. You're here to make yourself useful, which means stop pretending to still be in charge and do what I say," he pulled back, still hissing like a snake and gave them all his back, heading to his office after a dismissal wave of his hand to Foreman. "Payback is a bitch Cuddy. In case you ever wondered how does it fill like, to be constantly told what to do."

* * *

The morning after, her alarm caught her still deep asleep. Then she remembered the night before she had thought she could benefit of a nice morning run, and she quickly got out of the bed. In the pale light of the early hours, it didn't seem such a good idea anymore. But she knew herself, she was awake and she could have hardly be able to go back to sleep at that point. Might as well get out of bed and hit the road.

In a few minutes, she was ready to go out, but stopped at the nightstand to pick up her mp3 player from the drawer. She barely glanced at her cell phone, otherwise she would have noticed the 12 unanswered calls. While picking up her keys near the door however, she did look at the answering machine. She looked down at the display and the flashing light, rolling her eyes at the 20 messages, snorting as her finger provided to delete them all. Once taken care of that, Cuddy stuck the headphones in her ears, grabbed her keys and got out of the door. She quickly found the right pace for the run, the usual path around her neighborhood, making room in her mind for the thoughts of the new day. Keeping a regular rhythm, both with her feet and her lungs, Cuddy took the familiar run. She focused on her neighbor's place; that red bricked house at the end of the street she had tried to buy once, but couldn't afford; the bank still closed since it was too early; the barking dogs of the old man living on his own who used to run after the postman; the bakery and donut shop which had recently open-

"What—"

Cuddy panted, stopping abruptly as she spotted House sitting on the bench in front of the bakery. She wasn't that tired, but he was the last person she was expecting to see, especially at the other side of the city at a time of the day.

"House, what-"

"They make amazing chocolate glazed donuts," he explained as he stood up. Cuddy straightened her back and squeezed her eyes, studying him suspiciously.

"Which, judging by the lack of chocolate on your mouth and fingers, you haven't tried," she pointed out then, her breath almost back to normal.

"Maybe I just know how to eat without making a mess," he offered, but she gave him a skeptical look and he rolled his eyes. Then he became serious and stared at her with a heavy expression, adding bitterly. "You didn't answer my calls."

She wasn't surprised, not really. Yes, at first to see him there, on her running track clearly waiting for her, had surprised her, if anything because of the early hour. Then the whole picture had quickly assumed a proper shape in her mind. It was creepy enough he knew exactly which road she used to take, but it was one of those creepy attentions, so typical of him it didn't seem that strange after all. As much as it was typical of him was to find the upsides of any situation, which explained why, of all she spots, he had chosen the bakery for his ambush. And, of course, she wasn't surprised by his pouting remark about her repeated dismissal of his phone calls the night before.

Something she didn't regret at all.

"Because I knew what you wanted to say, and I don't want to hear it," she stated with no hesitation, as she removed some sweating curls from her forehead. "And if you're here to apologize, I don't want to hear it either."

Blazed, House opened his mouth but nothing came out. The same inability to end something he felt when his brain suggested him to step closer, but his feet didn't listen. It was the same feeling, the same sharp pain he felt every time they were close to each other at work; the same desire to get even closer, burning as a flame quickly put out by the providential firefighter, that was that brand new and unfamiliar sense of caution he had been forced to develop. Staying away from her, kicking out of his being the need to touch her, was easier at work. They had a lot to risk, to fight it back became oddly natural outside the hospital… He looked at her, her perfect jogging outfit matching her natural beauty, reminding him she was someone used to be in charge. Damn, even the sweat stain on her clothes seemed to be perfectly drawn, and he realized that was the first time since he had hired her they were together outside the hospital. Without the constant threat to slip and let something leak out, without someone watching them and reading their behaves-

And it didn't change anything. No matter what he felt, he had to maintain a safe distance between them, or he would have ended up losing control. Like he knew he had done the night before, stalking her with calls, and that very morning, feeling the need to catch her on the morning run. Then he remembered why he was there, and he had to wonder if it wasn't already too late for that.

"Cuddy-"

"No House, I'm serious," she cut him off right away, she seemed to take a step closer but quickly changed her mind. "There's no need, nothing to apologize for-"

"I said awful things to you," he clarified, as if she might have forgotten about the confrontation they've had the day before.

"Then what? Like I'm not used to this," Cuddy insisted, this time with a teasing smile on her lips to ease the tension. But she was taken aback by the way his face seemed to harden at her words. Then her own face changed abruptly, the attempt of smile faded at his stubborn resistance, replaced by a cold warning glare she shoot him with no mercy. "Don't…House don't do this. This is not the way to deal with it."

"There is no right way to deal with this Cuddy, I just want to-"

"Do something you would have never done, as result of something you've always done? Because House," speaking in a low voice, well aware of the way his jaw clenched as she nailed his contradiction. "That's exactly what this is all about, and it can't work like this."

"Should I remind you," he pointed out, his eyes glued on her as she approached him. "There's actually nothing we're trying to make work?"

"Of course there is, and it's our jobs," she knew to say that out loud would have hurt, still she hadn't expected the pain to be so deep and wrecking like a stab right in her heart. "I'm not the first and won't be last member of your team you beat the crap out of House. You could have done worse than that…and I doubt you use to apologize when you treat someone like shit like you did yesterday with me."

"That's not the point Cuddy."

"Yes it is! House," she sighed, this time she stepped closer again and House almost backed away from her. "What happened yesterday, was nothing more than the usual dynamics in your team. You've been harder than that on each of your employees over the years, I'm not going to make a big deal out of it."

"It's not the same, it's not like any other time-"

He muttered in a low voice. He caved to his need to say it and lowered his eyes on his feet, feeling ashamed of himself. Because he knew, in that very moment, he was about to lose the battle with himself and her. Cuddy sensed it. She only needed to look at him, shyly avoiding her gaze, to get yet another confirmation of what she already knew. He was unable to take their professional argument as nothing but that, just because of their non-personal involvement. She wanted to smile, cry and scream all of sudden and at the same time. Smile because he was being sweet and caring; cry to unleash her frustration; scream him to stop hurting himself like that, but she ended up doing something different. Careful, she covered the distance between them and gently rested one hand on his shoulder, squeezing when he winced and motioned to step back but she kept him there, waiting for him to look up at her.

He didn't, but that didn't prevent her from say what she had to.

"I know it's not. Damn it House, you think I can forget about it?" The genuine regret in her voice seemed to relax him, he quickly glanced at her but then averted his eyes again/ "But we have to pretend it is. The way you treat your team, the way you say what you have in mind careless of consequences…you can't change it now just because I'm on the team. You can't feel sorry for mocking me, or being harsh the way you've been yesterday, just because it's me."

Sensing he was almost calm, Cuddy slowly removed her hand and stepped back. Feeling the weight of her presence slowly vanishing, House took a deep breath and looked up at her, who was glad to see him more stable.

"Besides," she added then with a joking smile. "One can hardly say you didn't say anything true. You did hire me out of guilt."

He didn't fail to catch the mocking tone of her voice. A daring look at her face told him, by the wide serene smile she was giving him, that she really meant it. She really wasn't bothered by his rough words of the day before. Either that, or she was extremely good at pretending, because he soon felt his own face relax and deliver a pale smile in response.

"Well, I did take my time for a…exploring interview," he mumbled teasingly, wiggling his eyebrows at her. Cuddy rolled her eyes, then his face darkened and he added absently, caught by a sad epiphany. "I've always thought preliminary interviews were a bad idea-"

She couldn't really blame him for such a statement. Cuddy knew the only reason why he was regretting the night they've spent together, after he had showed up at her place, was that it made everything else harder. She knew, because something ached inside her every time she thought about it too. Ignore him, ignore what they've said, was extremely difficult given the vivid memories of that night. None of them really regretted it "per se", God knew how much they've wanted each other that night! But they still did, and that was a major problem for someone who had decided to deprive themselves of that.

"House," Cuddy sighed bitterly, sitting on the bench he was occupying just before and looking up at him. "This whole situation sucks, but it will even more if you react by changing your behave. We don't have to make it different."

"But it is different," he stated, he huffed resigned and swamped himself on the bench too, stretching his legs and growling frustrated as he absently shook his head. "I didn't think it could have been…how are we supposed to deal with this?"

"We don't," Cuddy answered quickly, staring blankly in front of her with a pale sad smile on her face. "There's nothing to deal with. You're my boss, the only tensions and dynamics we have to worry about are the ones caused by this. Anything else-"

"We shouldn't care, because it doesn't exist."

From her position, bent down resting her elbows on her knees, Cuddy turned her heard toward him. His big body spread on the bench, his eyes closed to fight back the sunshine light of the morning. She had rarely seen him so tired and defeated, and she knew despite his words he was far from accepting the truth he had just uttered out. She looked at his hand, abandoned on the bench next to her, a burning desire to touch it and squeeze it, giving and seeking for comfort. But she thought better not to. They just stayed there, both silent and thoughtful, apparently miles away from each other despite the small distance. After a while, House sighed and straightened up, absently twirling his cane in his hands and giving her a knowing look.

"You gave her the insulin," he stated then, smirking at her rolling her eyes. "Foreman told me you pulled the syringe because they didn't want to."

"Miller already hates me," she shrugged. "Might as well give him a little reminder about why he does."

House chuckled and shook his head. He still have to adjust to the idea Cuddy could be the badass of the situation, then sighed again and glanced at the bakery on the other side of the street.

"Breakfast?" He suggested.

"I don't think that would be a good idea," Cuddy muttered standing up, looking down at him with a warning glare. "First off all, you'll probably try to have me pay for both. And I have to go back home and get ready for work…and so do you actually."

"Didn't you just say I'm your boss?" He mocked her, wiggling his eyebrows at her. "Then stop acting like you're still mine."

"You are my boss, but if you don't keep your job I'll lose mine again," she teased as he stood up too, rolling his eyes at her with a sad smile. "It's funny though," she muttered, putting her headphones on again and stepping away to start her run. "I'm not your boss anymore, yet I still have to worry about you coming at work on time."

"Yeah about that," he mumbled. There was a provoking hint in his voice that forced her to look at him, puzzled by the soft expression she found on his face. "Thanks Cuddy."

She just stared at him for a second, not more, then she nodded at him before turning in the opposite direction and start run back to her place. She just had the time for a couple of steps, adjusting on the running rhythm again, that House's loud barking voice got to her ears despite the music and she stopped, looking back at him.

"What?"

"Just saying I was right," he yelled back, with a grin so wide she could see it despite the distance. "The little unrisky operation did mess up with her hormones."

"Of course it did."

She yelled back with a teasing smile, then she ran away again leaving a puzzled and amused House licking his lips on his way to the bakery. Wondering if he had enough money with him to offer the team a good breakfast.


	8. Chapter 8

_Hi everybody! Thanks to all of you for the feedback, and sorry for the wait. I hope this new part will make up for the wait, I tried my best to make it justice._

* * *

CHAPTER 8

She could feel it. They could have been in the most crowded place, with millions of people screaming and yelling around her; but she could have always been able to feel it, the power of his stare on her. No matter what, those piercing blue eyes on her, digging and fishing, looking for things she didn't even know she were hiding. That familiar, yet heavy, sensation didn't help her at all. There had been times when his magnetic glare had helped her out, giving her a steady support in the time of need, or maybe just transmitting her a bit of his stubborn confidence…

But not that time. Not with her mouth dry and speechless, her brain empty of any kind of suggestion in front of the list of symptoms on the whiteboard.

The rest of the team wasn't looking at her. It had been more than a month since she had switched from being their boss to be their colleague, but years of leadership were hard to leave behind. She didn't intimidate them, however it was odd see her around with the white coat, trooping with House on daily basis instead of fighting against him. They rarely dared to look at her for long, or questioning her too much, dusts of her previous role always floating in the air. But House was, he never let go with her. Taub, Kutner and Foreman had made tons of suggestions about their new patients, while Cuddy was struggling to voice her own thoughts. And her boss had stared at her so long, and intensively, that she was starting to feel her breath shallow and difficult.

Cuddy tried to hide her sweating hands under the folder, opened on her lap. She looked down at it for the umpteenth time, and for the umpteenth time the words on the paper didn't trigger anything medical meaningful in her mind. She almost felt like they belonged to a language she couldn't speak, and her heart started to hammer faster in her chest, when she caught House's shift on his feet and step away from the whiteboard, his presence hovering above her despite the distance between them. She did have something in her mind, but nothing seemed good enough. Nothing seemed fitting neither with the words on the whiteboard, nor with what her coworkers had come up with. Judging by the way House had welcomed the previous hints, none of them had gotten close to the answer he was hoping for, nor the right one he needed to take a step forward in the differential and trigger the magic his brain could work.

Then, why was he staring at her so deeply? There was four of them in the room, they were all working on that. Why did he have to focus on her so much, weighting her silence more than the wrong and empty attempts of the rest of the group?

_Because you have to prove yourself,_ her own voice clarified in her mind, her sight blurring the letters printed on the paper. _You have to prove him all the years he spent mocking you about not being a real doctor anymore were wasted._

Oh yeah sure, easy to say. Too bad, she wasn't entirely sure he had been wrong all long, not anymore. It seemed so easy from outside. When she used to be the boss, occasionally stumbling on his DDX process, she could always see where he was going, where he came from. She understood his reasoning and suggestions, even the craziest ones, with no effort; she could just read, and somehow share, his way of thinking. Being part of it, however, was different. Even more, since from when she had realized that show didn't allow passive spectators.

Trying to sort herself out the solid hold of his gaze, Cuddy thought she should have taken advantage of the fact she was pretending to be reading the folder, to really focusing on it. The force of shame and desperation set up something in her brain, and she devoted the proper attention looking for something to say, even lame.

"Patient recently developed lactose intolerance," she read then in a low voice, she quickly looked up at the whiteboard purposely avoiding House's gaze. "It's rare, but sometimes it shows along with loss of appetite and chronic fatigue, when it's beaver fever."

She really didn't know where the hell that came from. For a moment, she was scared she had mistaken one of the words on the whiteboard due to House's confused handwriting, because nothing around moved, or produced a sound. Then Taub, next to her, took his copy of the folder and browsed it absently. Cuddy froze on the chair and stared at him, realizing she had hold her breath not until the doctor found something in the papers.

"He had a rush, his dermatologist thought it was urticaria," he said.

Foreman frowned and leaned down on the table, curios.

"How long ago?" He asked.

"Two weeks ago," Taub added, then looked over at the whiteboard muttering. "Incubation time fits-"

"Call the dermatologist, let's see if he remembers the rush," House instructed flatly, they all stood up and headed to the door as he kept saying. "And run an ELISA test. If it tells nothing, we'll do an O&P and string test. And let's hope we won't need to do a duodenal biopsy."

They all nodded heavily at his last words. Biopsies had become some kind of Holy Grail for them to get, since from when Miller had been in charge, like any other barely invasive therapy or test, and they had to be wise in handle them. It wasn't just about House's personal battle against power; it might have been before, when Cuddy was the boss, but then their asses were all on the line. On their way out, Foreman gave Cuddy a quick reassuring smile, confident her final suggestion might have earned them yet another right diagnosis and an arrow to their bow. But she couldn't let that pitiful display to lift her spirit up. Because she didn't believe herself, because she knew it had come out of desperation…and because she could feel House's heavy glare on her back until the elevator door closed.

* * *

It was late, but he was still there. The working routine he had been used to follow for years, had been quite turned upside down with the new boss, and leave his paperwork multiply out of control like wet Gremlins was something he couldn't afford anymore. He still used to stash folders and take care of them once a week, and when she stepped in the conference room, dark and empty since the rest of the team had gone home after they've discharged the patient, she was glad she had been lucky enough to get him on his duty night.

Sighing, fishing in herself for some strength, Cuddy took off her lab coat and hung it on the peg, feeling the need to get rid of that still unnatural shelter. Then bit at her bottom lip, and headed to his office. The lights were all on, he was sitting on the long chair with folders spread on the ottoman, bending down on his legs rubbing absently the right one. He seemed focused on the reading, signing and sketching notes here and there, every now and then adjusting the reading glasses on his nose. He was so lost in the job, he didn't hear her step in, that didn't help her at all, and she had to cough absently to gain his attention. He finally looked up at her, his body language screaming how much he shared her uneasiness when he leaned back down on the chair. She knew it would have happened, Cuddy wasn't surprised to find herself suddenly out of words once in front of him, and she was even less when he took the lead.

"You sucked today."

He had lost no time, and however truth hurt big time, Cuddy was glad he hadn't jerked around it. It didn't matter her suggestion had been the right one in the end, that extreme catch came out of desperation couldn't just cancel her odd silences, the shy attempts to take part on the DDX, her inability to step up and defend her suggestion and all the little things he had seen her struggle with in the past weeks. The rest of the team might have missed it, surely they have been fooled around by the fact she was part of the team, usually in tune with House and keeping up their eternal battles. But House was no fool, he could see things most of the people couldn't.

And he knew how to look for them.

He also knew, most of the times lot of words were unnecessary. They both knew why she was there, they both knew what he was talking about…no need to drag it any further then.

"You want to fire me?"

That wasn't the real question, not the correct one. However, thank to their deep level of mutual understanding, it still worked. There wasn't just her job on the line, there wasn't just a job on the line, and she could tell by the way House immediately tensed on the chair it was damn clear. Sitting down and looking up at her, House had to nail the chair with his hands, holding his breath while trying to gather some strength to fight her gaze. Oh no, he didn't like what he saw, not really. That desperation, that silent yet screaming beg he saw in her eyes, was not what he wanted to see, not something he was ready to handle. Her eyes were trembling, her whole being shaking in front of him so much he was afraid her legs might give up at any moment. He knew he wouldn't have been able to move and help her, had that be case, because her praying gaze was gluing him to the chair. Since from the night under her porch, he had feared that moment. He had known eventually it would have come, but knowing hadn't prepared him to face it. His breath started again, but way too fast, his chest inflating and deflating quick as tons of thought ran through his mind, ending up in a confused dead-end. What did she want? What did he want? Do it, fire her? His eyes found hers and no matter his internal turmoil, he kept them there clinging on her very fear, looking for a hint of what she really wanted him to say. His heart skipped, then took a crazy wild pace when he realized there were no hints for him, shocked he had to face the reality she didn't really know what she was looking for, and ever more puzzled once he found it he didn't know what he wanted either. Fire her, kick her ass out of his life as employee, to welcome her back as lover. Stop worrying about the job, proving points, stubborn battles and just let her comfort him the moment he would have been fired too…or stay strong, keep fighting and resist, give Miller and his administration another crappy month, postponing something he felt still there, safe and at his reach whenever he would have wanted to grab it, finally. Cuddy's breath ached in her lungs. She had hope for him to cut her off, to say yes straightaway and released both of them. But the more he waited, the more her feeling switched from hope he could agree, to the fear of it. She looked better at him, she caught his breath racing too and her mind and heart confused everything, mixing the two feelings until she didn't know what she wanted anymore. Go on or cut it, enact and end that would have actually set a new beginning for them… What was best for them? Why? What applied for her, was the best thing for him too? Could they live with the knowledge they've screwed up something for the other, with a one-way decision? Was it worthy, that lame act, to annoy someone who would have probably won over them in the end no matter what?

No, no it wasn't House started to think. He gulped down a dry lump, which seemed to trigger something in his mind. He took off his glasses, never leaving her eyes, but it was as if that simple gesture did something to his brain, because the word he spoke was not the one he had thought about.

"No."

He said nothing more, for any other word would have been a useless addition. Moreover, he was so taken aback by his own choice he felt he couldn't trust himself anymore. It was probably too late anyway, Cuddy needed a moment to recover, postponing her need to figure out if she liked that answer or not. Instead, she urged to take the bait he had given her, she just nodded and nervously played with her bracelet while giving all she had left to look at him.

"Ok."

She said in a low voice. If it was painful as he thought it sounded, House couldn't really tell, and his mouth surprised him once again taking a path of his own.

"See you tomorrow."

When he uttered those words, Cuddy was already on her way out, almost fearing he could change his mind despite she still didn't know if she wanted him to or not. But the choice had been made, and all she could do was accept it.

She couldn't blame him, for haven't been able to do something she had no strength to do either.


	9. Chapter 9

_I hope you'll like this one, it is something different but I thought it fits in this story's peculiar dynamic._

* * *

CHAPTER 9

"I have to admit it," Foreman huffed, swamping on the small couch of the separe. "I would have never thought they could last so long."

"Well, it's not that surprising after all," Kutner shrugged sipping his beer. "They've been boss and employee for years."

"Yeah, but Cuddy being the boss and not the other way around. Not quite the same thing."

"Why? I mean," the young doctor asked the neurologist, while dipping one French fry in the ketchup "Is it really that different, who is in charge?"

"Of course it is. Because House is a jerk, and Cuddy isn't," Taub stated with a grumble. "He used to mess with her when she was the boss, now that he's in charge…I bet the bastard feels like he has the right to."

"Cuddy is big girl, she knows how to handle him," the neurologist stated and the two men nodded, firmly agreeing with him. "She could be her maid, and she would still handle him better than all of us."

They shared some moments of silence for a while, darting the crowded pub through the cigarette smoke filling the place, absently tasting their drinks. Friday's happy hour had become a nice, yet bitter-sweet, habit. Every time they got together, to cheer yet another week of their department survival, and at the same time christen with a toast their hope for at least another one.

"It's still weird tough," Taub muttered after a while, randomly waving his hands in the air. "I mean, how long has it been? Three months?"

"Almost 4. And yes, it's still weird," Kutner agreed, then looked over at Foreman. "You're the one who knows them the most, how do think they're doing?"

"Well "know" is hardly the word I'd used," the neurologist clarified with a huff, but still straightened up feeling the chance to pitch in. "Frankly, at the beginning I thought it was a joke. Then that they would have killed each other for good…I guess the real key is why they are doing this."

"House kind of spoiled us," Kutner remembered with a chuckle. In that moment, thinking back at their argument was easier, funny indeed, to see their roles upside down. "He said he hired her because he felt guilty."

"House and guilt can hardly share the same sentence, and even if it is… Ok, he did it because of guilt. But why did Cuddy accept?"

"Because she's a masochist!" Taub grumbled sipping his beer. "She's hands down one of the best deans of the country, she'd probably be the top one if she wasn't a woman, she could easily find a real job somewhere else-"

"Are you saying our job is a fake one?" Kutner questioned, resented, but the two men rolled their eyes at him.

"I mean a fulfilling one-"

"I am fulfilled," the young doctor pouted again, earning yet another annoyed glare.

"She could work anywhere. She's a damn good administrator and a good doctor"

"But she hired House, and she was fired because of him."

The weight of Foreman's words crashed between them. He hadn't used a particular heavy tone, still his low and absent voice seemed to be enough to steal the little trace of lightness from their conversation. Kutner looked at the neurologist sitting at his side, he was looking down at the pretzels on his plate and seemed thoughtful. Then he looked over at Taub, who nodded slowly as they both agreed to wait for their coworker's next move.

"Been there done that," Foreman finally added, looking at them and shrugging. "House is a genius and a jerk, being around him…it's like catching a disease for environmental causes. You get some of both, he affects you…he affects the way other people look at you."

"You mean she wouldn't get another job because she used to be House's boss?"

"I'm saying," Foreman sighed looking beyond Kutner, darting the crowded place carefully "More likely, being the only one able to handle House properly for years doesn't pay off anymore the moment you're fired for having hired him."

"After all…it had been already more than a week since they fired her when House hired her," Kutner muttered with a low sigh. "Someone like her should have had a line of people offering her a job."

"And she seems…well, she sure doesn't look like someone who's settling for a second-hand choice either."

"You don't think she'd like a better job?" Foreman asked, reacting to Taub's statement.

"Of course, but at the same time she doesn't seem to be ripping her hair off. Wouldn't say she's happy about this, but-"

"How can she be? We've seen her…let's face it, she was a disaster at the beginning," the young doctor huffed shyly. "It was strange for all of us."

"Awkward yeah…even House seemed out of place," Taub agreed, then lowered his voice muttering guiltily. "Not that we've really tried to ease things at the beginning."

"That's understandable, it was extremely odd!" Kutner wined in agreement, and Foreman nodded too.

"And none of them made it any easier. If we tried to be kind and supportive with Cuddy, she'd complained we were doing that just because she used to be our boss. And House would have said we were sissies, on the other hand if we'd given her an hard time as the rookie in the team, we'd felt guilty about it and House would have resented us-"

"Looks like they can screw with everybody, no matter who is in charge."

"Actually," Taub chuckled amused, absently shaking his head. "I'm not even sure who's in charge now."

"Yeah," the neurologist muttered, his lips were turning upwards too and Kutner next to him was close to laugh all the same. "And this is not the kind of thing you'd like to mess with."

"Not without an appropriate defense."

"Like what?" Kutner asked, chuckling at Taub's knowing statement.

"A nuclear proof bunker," Foreman suggested. "As a start."

"Buried one mile deep in the ground," Taub added chuckling.

"Well," the neurologist stated lifting up his glass inviting his coworkers in a toast. "We have a plan."

"Oh sure!" Cuddy wined from behind them, reaching the men at the table while glasses were still shattering on each other. "Always keeping me out of the fun!"

"It took you a life time to go to the restroom," Foreman defended himself, chuckling at her fake pouting face as she sat down, then showed her an untouched glass of beer. "We got you something."

"You better," Cuddy muttered taking the beer, then exchanged a quick toast with them. "By the way, I haven't been just to the restroom."

"Oh no!" Taub wined disconsolate as he spotted the grin on her face. "Not again!"

"Yep," she stated with a fierce nod. "Will be up in ten minutes."

"Why do we have to go through that again?" Taub wined. "It's humiliating!"

"Just for you, because you suck at this," Foreman stated with a grin, then took off his jacket and started to roll up his sleeves. "Same teams?"

"No!" Kutner and Taub shouted at the same time, then the younger doctor muttered. "That's not fair, you two should split up for once."

"Oh c'mon guys, it just for fun!"

"Yeah, but losers hardly have some," Taub pouted resented, and Cuddy rolled her eyes.

"Ok, I'm fine with that," she urged to reassure him, then sipped her beer again muttering in a low voice but loud enough for Foreman to hear her "We'll finally see who's the best at this."

The neurologist shoot her an icy glare, and so did to Kutner next to him who chuckled amused, then the young doctor coughed absently and straightened up on the chair. He had just the time to realize he had probably ended up in the designed losing team once again, Taub's evil and satisfied smile already getting on his nerves, when the speakers announced out loud.

"Darts, Eric's turn."

"You gave them my name?"

Foreman protested, but everybody around the table except for him jumped on their feet to reach the darts site.

"Sure I did," Cuddy confirmed patting him on his shoulder. "Since you'll be the one paying."

That said, she made a tail of her hair, getting ready for the fight. Then reached for her purse and took out her set of darts, checking them under Foreman's disconsolate gaze.


	10. Chapter 10

_I'm back! Glad to see you liked the previous part; it seemed important to add some interaction between Cuddy and the rest of the team, other than with House, and to have some fun with it._

_Now something different, less funny but, hopefully, interesting enough._

* * *

CHAPTER 10

"Don't move."

"I'm not."

"Yes you are…oh God, can you just stay still for a minute?"

"Hey, it's not easy with you working on me this way."

"Like you're not used to this."

"I am, but not with you all wet like this."

"Then you better take a picture, because this won't last."

"Oh you're mean. Cooling me down like this, we were just about to heat off."

"The only thing heating off here is…oh, still, almost there…is our patient's father temper."

"Uhm….not fair…bring in other man's performance, given what you're doing to me right now."

"Nothing you didn't call for yourself House. Don't fool me. I know you're enjoying this as much as you liked the head start."

"Well Cuddy, my judgment will be on hold till the end, you know."

"I see. It looks like we'll find out sooner than what you thought," Cuddy gave him a quick teasing smirk sticking the tip of her tongue in between her teeth, then focused on the last stitch and removed her hands from his forehead. "Done, Mr. Frankenstein."

"Very funny," House muttered with a smirk, glaring at her. "Would that make you Igor?"

"I think I'd be a better Frau Blucher," she rebuked him, a bit resented.

He tilted his head on one side and squeezed his eyes shut, stretching his neck to the window as if he was trying to catch sounds from outside.

"Sorry, no whinny horses," he stated, then looked at her knowingly. "If I'm Frankenstein, you're Igor."

"And here I thought Taub would have been the right one for the role," Cuddy muttered absently causing him to chuckle, but then her hands went for the stitching kit again.

"What are you doing?" He asked curiously. "You've already sewed me, and besides this," he nodded at her, the temporary scrubs she was wearing stained because of the soaked clothes underneath and her wet hair. "You should go change. Or you'll end up getting a cold."

"Yeah daddy," she mumbled dismissively. But her voice and the way she started to roll up the right sleeve of his t-shirt, exposing the cut on his shoulder, clearly denying her words. "After I stitched this one too."

"I can do it by myself."

"Right, with just one hand which isn't even your good one," Cuddy said careless, then House left hand slapped hers away from his wounded shoulder and she sighed frustrated, folding her arms and glaring at him. "House, don't be stupid."

"You're trying to get pneumonia, are you sure you want to go on this ground with me?"

"If you stop acting like a baby, it will take me 5 minutes. Then I'll go have a hot shower and change but now," she rolled up his sleeve again and picked up the stitching items. "Let me do this ok? I owe you this one."

Puzzled by her very last addition, House frowned, and sensing his confusion Cuddy took advantage to clean the wound. House smirked a couple of times, and bit at his bottom lip for the disturbing pain. Aside from that, he seemed lost in his thoughts for a while. Preparing the stitches, Cuddy glanced at him and smiled to herself, knowing he was somehow lost in one of his mental puzzles, and rolled her eyes, shaking her head both amazed and resigned for his constant need to figure out things.

"I had you lie to our patient and her family. I used you to piss off her father, without telling you what I was up to, and he almost attack you as result of my provocation," he listed in an absent voice. He looked up at Cuddy, waiting for her to tell him he was right, but instead she nodded at his sleeve. Speechless and still lost in his own reasoning, he obeyed her silent request and helped her keeping the sleeve up, so she could use both hands to stitch him. "And I ended up providing you with a non-requested shower from the fire system. Unless you mean you're paying me back for stitches I can't recall giving you, I really can't see-"

"I knew what you were doing," Cuddy cut him off with a soft voice, focused in giving him small and thick stitches. "Accuse him of abusing of her daughter would have leaded her to defend him, and tell us who was actually doing it. Which would have given us the hint, for the symptoms we still couldn't explain- Stay still!" She instructed him fiercely, he had lost the grip because of her words and had to go back to focus on the simple task she had given him. "It was a nice plan. I guess you just underestimated the father's reaction, although," she mumbled, keeping her eyes on what she was doing as she carefully placed the last stitch. "You should know men tend not to be pleased when they're accused to abuse on their children," she pulled back her hands and tilted her head on one side, admiring her work on his skin and flesh with a satisfied face. "And you couldn't know he had a defective lighter in the pocket of his pants when you hit him with your cane, causing it to explode and set off the extinguishers."

Waiting to find the right words to get to his brain, House took his time faking a deep interest in judging her work, which was indeed a nice one, but in the end, he had to surrender and look up at her. He hated her in moment like that, when she looked so confident and at ease, even talking about stuff like that. No, not just that. The very fact she could bring it up, when he knew he would have never admitted it with himself, was upsetting. His very instinct had pushed him to step forward, impacting the man's body directed to Cuddy with his own, the moment he had seen it coming. It didn't matter he hadn't really thought he could actually hit her. He had decided he didn't like the way he was staring at her in that moment, hovering above her and blaming her for something that was all his fault, and he had just stepped in between. He had soon found out the man was probably thinking of doing nothing but stare at her, insulted and wound like an innocent man could be…until he had found himself hovered back by the son of a bitch who had just accused him to abuse on his daughter. The man wasn't probably an abusive father, but he sure knew something about how to fight. In the blink of an eye, House had switched from waiting for a punch in his face, to get a blind low job on his ribcage he had no way to avoid. Then his memories went blank. He remembered bending down, catching for air, and another hit on his face sending him crash on the hospital nightstand. He had blindly swung his cane to the man, before a sudden flame burst out of his pocket and artificial rain started to pour inside the room.

"Yeah well, next time me and Wilson get in a bar fight, I'll page you. Now," he insisted, ignoring her sympathetic smile and trying to use that bossy voice he had been working on in the past weeks. "Go get change. You're dripping all over the place."

"Take your shirt off," Cuddy instructed instead, then pointed at his chest. "And your t-shirt."

"What?" He asked, shocked, pulling back from her as she started to stretch her hands toward him. "Aren't we suppose to keep a low profile?"

"House-"

She sighed frustrated, stepping closer, almost menacing. Then she rolled her eyes at his teasing smirk, knowing something stupid and deflecting was about to come.

"You know," he whispered in fact, with and exaggerated sultry voice. "If we have to throw caution away, we could… Ouch! Why the hell did you do that?"

The last part of his sentence came out as an undistinguished growl of pain, evoked by the deepest pit of his gorge when her left hand pressed firmly on his ribcage, skillfully touching the exact impact point of the first punch. He wasn't trying to act like a man and ignore the pain, it hadn't really bugged him until that moment, but the gentle touch of Cuddy's hand woke it up like a sleeping beast. Hissing for the sudden pain, House covered with both his hands the wounded part, grinding his teeth and shooting Cuddy a raging glare as she folded her arms and look at him disappointed.

"You might have broken ribs," she informed him flatly. "Let me see."

"C'mon Cuddy," he muttered jokingly with a short breath, as he recovered from the pain. "We haven't even been out once yet-"

"Either you let me check, or I'll call Wilson," Cuddy said again, pointing back so he could see the oncologist waiting outside in the hallway. "I'm sure he can't wait to tell you what an idiot you've been."

"Ok, ok," House muttered annoyed.

The last thing he wanted, was being given a lecture by Wilson while checked for possible broken ribs. He knew his friend would have probably ended up touching his wound for a lifetime, talking and talking instead of actually do something for his pain, ending up causing him even more.

"Make it quick, and possibly painless."

Cuddy pursued her lips in a small smile and stepped back. She thought about closing the blind, but he sensed her doubt and shook his head no. Cuddy nodded back: they haven't sensed any suspects about them around the hospital, the rest of the team was clueless since there was nothing to see, and they've worked their asses out in leave no signs. It hadn't been hard after all, behave like they've always did was the best strategy to keep people's strange ideas away, therefore hide themselves behind closed blinds wasn't exactly a wise thing to do. So she just turned back to him, as he carefully removed his clothes. The shirt wasn't hard, but for once he cursed himself for his habit to wear a t-shirt underneath, when pull that one off revealed to be pretty uncomfortable. Cuddy wanted to help him, she hated to see him suffer in anyway, but she knew offering him help was a double-edged sword. Therefore, she just waited for him to get rid of the garment, then stepped closer.

Carefully, she studied the large bruise before touching it. House closed his eyes, waiting for the pain to pinch him, but he had to open them up again and look down, surprised. Cuddy's hand was smoothly sailing on his skin, almost tasting the purple surface without causing him any pain. Then he looked up at her, totally absorbed in her study, doctor's eyes exploring him carefully and she seemed unaware of the way he was staring at her.

"Watch out," she warned him in a low voice. "I'm gonna push now."

She did, so gently his brain didn't register the pain. However, in the end, the prolonged touch did evoke a light wave of pain, and he arched his back a little and hissed softly. Cuddy immediately pulled back her hand and looked up at him with an apologizing look, he smirked to reassure her and she stepped back grabbing a dry ice pack from the cart.

"Apparently nothing is broken," she informed handling him the ice. "Keep this on, I'll go grab some ointment."

"I guess my Vicodin could work for this one too," he smirked as he placed the ice on his wound, then rolled his eyes at her as she glared at him on her way on the door. "Fine, but just keep the wining siren out of here!"

Cuddy chuckled on her way out. House followed her with his eyes as she stopped in the hallway to talk with Wilson, and they both looked at him with grins. Left alone House gave his attention to the wound on his chest soothing it with the ice pack, thinking he would have taken an extra Vicodin no matter what. But that wasn't the only thought in his mind. On the reflecting surface of the window he looked at his wounds, signs of the silly battles he used to put himself too, thinking about what was different in that last one. Scratching with patient and relatives, he was used to that. It was part of his M.O, if it came down to prove his point, but usually that was all there was on the line; his twisted pride of doctor, his need for truth to be satisfied, his brilliant mind to be proved right at all costs. He had never hesitated to face the consequences of his own actions, he was willing to add them to the bill if it served his cause, but not like that. Not when other people, who weren't supposed to, ended up getting involved and pay part of the price too. For the first time in years, thinking about how close that day he had gone to push it beyond limits on someone else's skin, House realized his actions had larger consequences than what he could plan, no matter how calculating and controlling he could be.

A bunch of minutes later, when Cuddy came back with a tube of cream, she found him standing near the window, looking outside.

_Well at least he's still keeping the ice, _she thought with a smirk, then stepped forward and closed the door behind her causing him to turn around, and finally saw the look on his face. _Oh no House please, not again-_

He seemed to read her mind. The way his face changed as he saw her begging gaze, was a clear sign. He lowered his eyes almost immediately, gulping down nervously when she came closer and removed his hand holding the ice. Carefully, she squirt some cream on the tip of her fingers and placed them on the bruise, massaging slowly to have the ointment being absorbed by his skin. This time she was perfectly aware of the way he was staring at her, his warm and calm breath so close to her face, making it harder for her to keep control given his half-naked body claiming her, silently and powerful.

"You're the boss House," she whispered after a while, not looking up at him. She have had the guts to ask him if he wanted to fire her once, but she knew she couldn't make it twice. "You should do what you think it's right."

"What if I think," he spoke softly, painfully, and she knew the light hint of pain in his voice wasn't due by the wound. "What I think its right it's not what I want to do?"

"Then you should do…what you think you should do."

Cuddy admitted, confused. However, House didn't feel like blame her since he wasn't sure of his own thoughts either. Then she shrugged and pulled her hand back, basically running away from him and putting as much distance as she could between them. "But don't ask me House," she shook her head, then gave him a sad smile right before open the door and nod at him. "Give it some more ice and cream tonight, you should be fine by tomorrow."

And then she ran out. She did stop again in the hallway, to have a few words with Wilson, as if nothing had happened. House was still there, wounded not only in his body but deeper inside, thinking she was wrong.

His bruise would have probably gone away during the night, but he would have been far from being fine.


	11. Chapter 11

_I know it's been a while (holidays, parents, life) but I'm back and we're getting close to the end of this story. Brace yourself!_

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CHAPTER 11

They didn't seem to be worried, none of them.

Taub was a master when it came not to care, in the last months Cuddy had come to the conclusion indifference should have been his second specialization. Kutner, he was usually better at noticing good stuff rather than nailing the bad ones. And Foreman…well, no matter the risk the diagnostic department was going through, he was always ready to jump in and take the lead when he had the chance.

Like he had done that very same day. House had called saying he was sick, it wasn't a cold but still his voice did sound strange, but maybe just to her. Cuddy had tried to kick the thought out of her head, when she had seen nobody worry about the first day off House had taken since she had started to work with them. As dean, she had seen many days like that and she had to admit, unlike her experiences, at least House hadn't cut himself off the rest of the world. They had needed him, after a first uneventful day the patient was getting worse, and they needed him to be on the task. To her surprise, he had never failed to answer or return their calls, he had put his two cents in the DDX, punctually providing them with his usual amount of sarcasm no matter what.

Overall, a normal House's day even without House not being there.

But by the end of the day, Cuddy was still confused, asking herself what he was really up to. No way he was just sick…sick like what? Flu? He hadn't shown any signs the day before, could it really be something so sudden? He hadn't sound sick to her, not at all…yet again, despite his history she had to admit she had rarely seen him really sick. If not for something he had done to himself. Still lost in her thoughts, Cuddy failed to hear Kutner calling her name the first time, but then she smiled at him and politely declined the guy's invitation for a drink after work to celebrate the solved case. She just explained she was a little tired and they let go, saying bye and leaving the conference room.

Cuddy kept packing her stuff, not that she had too much carry in her bag now that she wasn't the dean anymore, but she took her time to leave the rest of the team the time to walk away. Before leaving the room, she took off her lab coat and hung it near the door, brushing it with an absent smile as she looked at everybody's coats and wondering where the hell House's one could have been. Then she walked outside the room, stopping by Wilson's office. It was a nice feeling, given the crazy situation, to know there was someone she could rely on in days like that. When her need to look for House poked from inside her, she was immediately reminded she could not show it.

But her visit to Wilson to get information didn't work out. She knew he had been out with House the night before, but nothing of what Wilson had to say could help. According to the oncologist, the men have had a nice night out, bowling and grabbing a burger before going to bed. House had shown no signs of sickness, and Wilson laughed at her concern. No, he didn't think House might be sick, but he did know since Miller was dying to get rid of him no matter what, House had probably thought taking a day off just for the sake of it wouldn't have caused any harm. In fact, he told her when he had taken House home the night before, he was a little drunk and about to pass out, and he truly believed his friend had just opted for a free day off.

However, Wilson's reassurances didn't really ease Cuddy's turmoil, but she had to live with them trusting her friend. He offered her to call House but she shrugged, after all he could have been right, and after declining his invitation to eat something together she said him goodnight, carrying her own questions home with her.

Oh they did followed her, down in the parking at first and during the drive to the organic market she used to shop at, filling her mind along with the list of groceries she had to buy, then till home. She didn't need radio or TV to keep her company, her questions were echoing loud enough in her head while she made herself dinner. Still, it took her a while to realize the one thing she should have done and still haven't.

Call House.

It turned out to be something she shouldn't have regretted much. She tried on both his cell and the home phone, and couldn't get hold of him. She didn't try a couple of times, knowing if he wasn't answering there was no way he would have no matter her insistence. She gave herself a patience's test but soon caved, and after a quick dinner, spent with her eyes glued and ears strained to the phones, she grabbed the first jacket she found and her car keys and ran out. She had almost lost it, the feeling of being worried about him, concerned about what he was or wasn't doing. But within every mile she drove to his place in the night, everything came back, every detail of the unpleasant sensation in her stomach. And it didn't get better at all when she found herself knocking at his door, calling out his name with a not so hidden hint of worry in her voice. It didn't work out, there was no answer, and no matter her attempt she didn't catch any sound from inside that could tell her he was there and just pretending he wasn't.

Resigned to the idea he wasn't home, somewhat relieved hoping he was with Wilson, Cuddy sighed, tug herself in her jacket, and headed to the outside door. She just had the time to stretch her hand to the doorknob that the door swung open in her direction. Taken aback, she still managed to step back and avoid the door to hit her, and when she looked up to yell her protest to the incautious person her words went silent because of the puzzled face House gave her.

"Where…where were you?" She asked.

"Where were you?" He asked too, almost insulted she dared to ask him. "I went looking for you."

"So was I," Cuddy babbled, now extremely confused. He did seem resented he hadn't found her at home. "Why weren't you answering the phone? You're not sick, why didn't you come to work today-"

"I've been busy," he said fatly, and the moment he took a step toward her Cuddy seemed to notice for the first time there was something strange in the air as his eyes called hers, like a magnet. "I had some calls to make," he informed her, his voice was calm but something in the way he spoke electrified her whole being, and he stepped closer again, never leaving her eyes. "13 is back," he announced, and Cuddy literally felt her heart stop as he took another step forward, standing now so close to her that she could smell everything of him, from his alcohol free breath to the leather of his jacket. And she had to gather all her energies to stay focused, then she saw him gulp right before he spoke again. "You're fired."


	12. Chapter 12

_I know I left you hanging with the previous chapter, but I hope you'll see why I did with this one. I appreciated the "guests" reviews, and the fact I seem to have gotten your attention… _

_I did rate this story for a reason so...but just__ stay till the very end!_

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CHAPTER 12

Her heart started again, but it was hardly a good thing. It raced so fast and wild, Cuddy felt the space around her become smaller, her breath itching and getting difficult, walls coming closer. However, soon none of that mattered. No matter the claustrophobic feeling, all she had to do was look into his eyes, so close, so powerful, so demanding.

His words were still settling down in her mind, few but yet so meaningful, uttered to her in a motionless way, as if he was unaware of the jolting effect they could have on her. Confused, appalled, shocked and speechless, Cuddy felt her mouth open, breathless, and her head shake slowly and absently trying to replay his words in her mind. Until they made some sense. In the meantime, she saw House's face change. He had been determined, while speaking and approaching her, focused on his words and gestures, as if he had been on a mission. And somehow, he was. But the light smile she had seen appear on his face vanished as he saw her puzzled face. Panic appeared on his face and his eyes widened in pure terror.

"I…I thought," he mumbled shaking his head, his hands up as to show her he didn't want to hurt her. "I couldn't bear this anymore Cuddy, I thought…like this we can try, I tried," the same way he had stepped forward he then stepped back, scared of himself and of her at the same time. "I'm an idiot, I should have asked you. I thought we wanted…I wanted to end this…I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have fired you-"

"Oh thank God!"

Her response washed away his fear. The way she quickly covered the distance between them took him by surprise, and the way her tongue invaded his mouth as her hands grabbed his jacket, shook ever cell of his body. Her silky tongue explored his mouth, eagerly, leaving him no way to fight back for a while. Then his senses came back and he pushed back, his tongue swirled around hers and his whole body crashed on hers, pushing her on the closed door of his apartment.

There were millions of things he wanted to ask her. His own decision didn't seem a good idea anymore, now that he had uttered it out loud, but the need to have absolution for his own sin vanished as she kissed him again. Her hands were sliding around his hips, under his jacket, pulling him into her. But he couldn't help himself, he simply couldn't.

"Cuddy-"

"For God's sake House!" She moaned breathless, wedging her hands around him. "Shut up."

"I'm firing you," he stated, out of breath while kissing her neck eager, biting her flesh. "Is that ok with you?"

"Effective immediately?" Cuddy gasped as his mouth travelled on her neck, and his wanting body trapped her against the door.

House lost no time for his answer, he couldn't waste his mouth and tongue in something so meaningless when he could taste her skin, sucking from her shoulder up till her ear, nibbling and biting her lobe with possessive need. Desperate to feel him again, Cuddy groaned softly, her hands grabbed his head and she drove his mouth to meet hers, kissing him so deeply he almost choked. Far from being bothered, House shut his eyes closed, enjoying the sensation. His left hand went behind her head, he kept her pushed on his face while the right hand fumbled in his pocket, looking for the keys.

"Immediately," he groaned breathless as he struggled to get the door open, pushing her inside so forcefully they almost fell on the ground. "Clear your locker tomorrow."

"I don't have a locker," Cuddy moaned with her mouth pressed on his neck, her hands voraciously getting rid of his clothes as he kicked the door closed behind.

"Better," he muttered removing her jacket and throwing it to the other side of the dark living room. "I'll say bye to the guys from you."

"Don't bother."

He doubted he would have anyway, it was none of their business after all. It had never been before, and sure it wasn't then. Finally they had it, they chose it and the rest of the world could go fuck himself.

Her hands spread open on his chest now finally naked, his upper body revealed to her like a wonderful epiphany and her lips itched to kiss all of it. She did so, burying her face in his chest as he wrapped his arms around her, possessive. He started to unbutton Cuddy's shirt, but his patience didn't last long and after the first two buttons he growled, frustrated, thinking about the layers he had to get rid of. House forcefully slid the garment above her head, Cuddy didn't care for the odd move and gasped loud when nothing but her bra was left keeping their skins apart. Then his hands went to her back to unhook it, their mouths never parted and Cuddy's left hand abandoned him to taste the wall, looking for the switch but House's right hand snuck to seize her wrist and stop her.

There were no words, their mouths were too busy and so were their hands. House's one brought Cuddy's one behind her back, almost immobilizing her right there, applying the right amount of pressure sending a shockwave through her body with his fierce possession. He kept her hand there, losing his fingers with hers, and used the left hand to get rid of her bra, tossing it away as her free hand oddly worked on his belt. House left her no time, no initiative, somehow he didn't leave it himself either. No more time for longing, no more time for questioning and doubting, no more time for waiting, no more place for holding back and pretending… Whatever fall out his one way decision would have had, he was ready to face it with Cuddy on his side. He wanted her, there and then, like nothing else he had ever wanted in his entire life.

He didn't bother removing her hands from his pants, he let her keep them do what they had to do as long as they didn't disturb him, as he confidently guided her down the hallway till his bedroom. By the time they got there, his pants were oddly wrapped around his ankles and he kicked them away along with his shoes. Cuddy hit the bed, they both groaned softly as if the impact told them once for all the moment had come. And then something changed. House's kiss became slower and deeper, softer and so sweet Cuddy almost wanted to cry. She remembered how many days and nights she had spent, haunted by his kisses, his touches, his caresses graved in her mind and on her body since from the night they've spent together.

Keeping her close to him, House maneuvered to change their position. He stepped next t the bed and sat down, hooking her thigh jeans with his hands and pulling her closer. He glued his mouth to her exposed abdomen and started to kiss her all over he could reach, sometimes barely touching her skin but never breaking the contact, as his hands gently unbuttoned her pants. He took in a sharp breath, as the stunning view of her naked body filled his eyes once he had gently removed her panties too. That wasn't the first time he saw it, but there was nothing like that in his world, and he knew there would have never been anything like that, nothing so powerful. House took his time to study her, like the first time, his hands tracing her outrageously perfect body and scanning it with the calm desire of the one who knew nothing would have stopped him from then on. Standing right before him, Cuddy looked down at the way he closed his eyes, mesmerized at the way he gently and devotedly brushed her taut abdomen with his face, tickling her softly before kissing her navel.

Cuddy threw her head back and inhaled deeply, her hands gripped the back of his head, both guiding and following his movements as he kept kissing her abdomen, his hands smoothing her ass. Then Cuddy's hands moved down on his shoulders, feeling his muscles underneath her fingertips as she slid on his arms, leaning on him as he laid down on his back. In the descend, her hair fell down in a dark cascade framing their faces, her naked breasts so dangerously close to House's mouth that he couldn't resist. He took one in his mouth, causing her to gasp loud and jerk out of his hold, but House wedged his arms and pulled her down into him, sucking merciless at her round breasts leaving her nipples hard and wet, needing for more. As she laid on top of him, both of them naked and starving to have nothing but the other one's body to keep them warm, Cuddy engulfed his head in her arms and curled up on him, offering her breasts to his skilled mouth, gasping and moaning at his gentle tasting till her sex brushed his engrossed cock.

Seizing his hands on her hips, House dragged her down till their mouth could met again, his teeth slightly biting at her swollen lips till she parted them to let his tongue in, surrendering to him as he flipped them both in the bed. Cuddy was now resting with her back on the bed, barely aware they were lying in the wrong direction. Nothing mattered apart from his touch and his eager kisses, or her response to him, equally strong and demanding after so many months of holding back. Like two mute people needing to scream, and finally getting their voices back, they unleashed their passion with no restrain. For so many times they've had to ignore and shut down the need to touch each other, even the desire to look at the other the way they wanted, hiding what they really thought and longed for, doubts and hesitations finally tossed away. Naked and needing, starving for each other, House and Cuddy kept rolling and wrestling in the bed kicking sheets and pillows away, blindly kissing, touching caressing each other in a wild and uncontrolled seek for the one they've waited so long and so painfully to have back.

The fight went on for an undefined time. Nails digging in flesh, lips and teeth grazing skins, bodies brushing on each other, creating exquisite friction and leaving bruised marks on their skin, and it finally became a mutual battle. Unable to hold back any longer, Cuddy applied to all her strength. Never leaving House's mouth, determined to suck life out of him, her left hand went for his cock sneaking in between her legs, which she parted the most she could, voluntarily spreading herself at his disposal. Sensing her silent but effective request, House growled wondering how he could even think straight since all his blood seemed gathered down in his groin. Maneuvering under her, he wrapped his left arm around her seizing forcefully her left hip with his hand, the right one smoothly sailing in between their bodies until he found his own shaft. He paused just a second, to make sure she looked at him straight as he guided himself inside her. The sensation to fill her again almost killed him, despite she was safely lying down in his arms Cuddy felt her legs going weak, and her head spun around leaving her dizzy. She desperately tried to recover soon, not to miss a thing of the overwhelming sensation his slow penetration gave her. Inch after inch, he became one with her, finally again, sliding inside her easily despite the months they've been apart, as if he had left marks not to lose the way that night back then. As soon as he couldn't tell anymore where he finished and she started, needing to feel their bodies pulsating and alive as one creature, House tightened the grip of his left hand around her hips. His right hand sailed on her body till he found her hands, grabbed both her writs pinning them above her head, then he crashed down on her mouth and kissed her, ever so gently and sweetly as he started to hammer his hips on her.

The only reason why she didn't cry out loud, was his mouth keeping her busy. But Cuddy knew if body had its language, hers was screaming loud and clear. The first push of his cock inside her, the friction of his member brushing her inner walls evoking ripples sent all over her body, her neurons burning for the amount of sensation they had to carry on inside her. With an effort she wasn't sure she could afford, Cuddy threw her legs around his waist, doing so is cock seemed to slid down even deeper inside her and she had to cry. She literally felt the need for it, and bit slightly at his tongue kicking it out of her mouth the time she needed to scream out his name. Her possessive and demanding scream triggered something in House's mind. Far from being bothered by her bites, he lowered his mouth on her neck and paid her back, biting slightly and sending shivers down her spine, reaching all those spots somehow his action weren't touching already. He let go her hands, but she left them there not really knowing what to do with them, if not what he wanted her to. He stopped the right hand at her breasts for a second, to cup the one he kissed greedily for a while pinching at her nipple with his teeth, then moved it down again sliding under her and cupping her ass. With a possessive growl, he pushed her up in the bed. Cuddy barely felt her head touch the wooden headboard, because all her receptive spots got kidnapped by the way his cock dug inside her, as he roughly knelt in the bed carefully guiding her left leg behind him, to keep it away from his right thigh. But that was the only pause he took, he wanted her so badly that he would have probably failed to notice the pain in his leg anyway. He braced her with his right arms too and speeded up his pace, pumping inside her and arching his back at every stroke, looking for the most effective way to fill her completely every time. Sharing his need, Cuddy wedged her hands on his arms seizing his biceps, feeling them tense under her touch, and she nailed his flesh throwing her head back when she felt her orgasm start to build. They both closed their eyes, almost careless of the other one reaction for a moment, since they knew that was just the first of a long series of unions ahead of them, their bodies slamming on each other with no control, and their voices raising and beating one other till they finally screamed out their ecstasies.


	13. Chapter 13

_And with this, we're going to wrap up this story. It was fun to write and imagine this upside down world for them, I hope you had a good time reading. Thanks for all the reviews and comments, see you again with the next one._

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CHAPTER 13

Froze together in one unique being, House and Cuddy didn't move for a long time. They didn't open their eyes either, afraid it could all disappear if they did, not until hearts and breathes were back to normal and they could trust their minds on whatever they might tell them. Spent but fulfilled, House climbed on top of her, kissing her softly as his hands looked for the covers. He couldn't find them, they had tossed them on the ground and were too far for him to bother, so he covered her with his body. They wrapped in each other's arms, to trap in between their bodies the warmth of their union, passing out in a blissful state of perdition.

It was one hour later that the cold air of the night woke her up. Cuddy lazily poked her eyes open, and when she saw House wrapped around her, the last thing she wanted to do was disentangle herself out of his embrace. But she saw him shiver too, although he was deep asleep, and she smiled softly. Carefully, she maneuvered to free herself from him and stepped out of the bed, looking around for the sheets. She picked up the comforter and carefully covered him, before joining him again. She took her time to study his sleeping figure, his relaxed face that she stroked gently, almost hoping he could wake up and claim her again. Then she sighed, happily thinking there was time for that, and pulled back.

Paying attention not to wake him, Cuddy grabbed a discarded cover from the ground and wrapped it around her naked body, walking in the darkness to the kitchen. However, on her way there, she realized she would have needed lights on to get across the living room, when she stumbled into something. Chuckling at herself, she blindly touched the wall until she found the switch, and soon the room brightened up with light.

Giving her a proper view of a mess she had no clue for.

Papers on the ground, sheets, newspapers and medical journals all over the place. They were all spread on the ground, along with lots of notes in his frantic handwriting. Then there were books, calendars, agenda and address books, phone books marked and signed. Appalled, Cuddy had to step closer to examine what reminded her a nasty mold, infecting the very surface of the room. She found hospital's brochures, medical studies and researches noted and underlined, projects and pages printed from hospitals and universities websites. If there was a method in that chaos, she couldn't tell. Knowing House, she was sure there was a reason behind it. And she thought she found out which, when her eyes spotted a whole sheet filled with his handwriting, creating schemes, boxes and arrows on the paper trying to translate what might had been his thoughts.

"I tried all I could think about."

House's voice came from behind her, causing her to gasp and lose the grip on the paper, which slowly landed back on the floor.

Silent, Cuddy stood up and looked at him. He was standing on the door, then he smiled fondly and calmly reached her in between the paper mess. House sat on the couch and stretched his arm, picking up the sheet she was looking at right before. Cuddy took her time to study him, looking for regret or anything else, and when she was sure there was nothing under the surface, she reached him on the couch. She curled up next to him, resting her head on his shoulder and studying the paper along with him. It was a scheme indeed, a plan, Cuddy decided. Her name was scribbled at the centre, around it was Miller's one, then other words as "job", "department", "options"… In the last month, working for him, she had come to interpret his way to write down his thoughts on the whiteboard, therefore it didn't take long to figure out what they were looking at.

He had told her the truth, he had really thought about almost everything. From resign and leave Foreman in charge to keep the diagnostic department open, to dig into Miller's life hoping to find something to blackmail him with. There were thousands of options and possibilities, but all of them had two things in common; no matter what she kept her job, and each of them ended up revealing itself impossible one way or the other.

"I didn't want you to lose this job Cuddy. I don't want you to be unemployed again because of me," he said then glancing at her, he laid back on the couch still staring at the paper and she nestled on him. "But I don't want to stay without you either. It was-"

"Painful," she moaned tugging at him. "I know House," she bit at her own tongue and he wrapped his left arm around her. "Don't feel guilty, please."

"I'm not, not anymore," he assured her softly, resting his mouth on her head. "I tried everything that could combine you and I still working at PPTH, but allowing us to be together," he huffed and crumbled the paper in his hand reducing it to a ball. "But it turned out to be impossible as I feared."

"Then we won't work together."

"I'm a dead tree on your railway Cuddy. You got fired because of me, and you turned down that offer for a job-"

"That was my call House," she pointed out looking up at him with an absent smile. "And this one was yours."

"You do know…I'll never get over the idea I determined both of us lives on my own?"

"Point is…it needed to be done," she felt him stiffen in her arms and straightened up, looking straight at him and cupping his chin with one hand, forcing him to look at her. "Me or you…this wasn't something we could decide together. Our mutual decision had been to wait and do nothing, there was no way we could come to something other than that," Cuddy smiled at him, keeping the smile on her face and her gentle caress on his until she could see guilt had gone. "It had to be a one way decision in order to be made. I wasn't strong enough House, and I'm glad you did what I couldn't myself."

"So you mean," he mumbled, his hands on her hips as he guided her to sit on his lap, his mouth greasing her neck as she stretched it up engulfing his head in her arms. "You let me do the dirty work?"

"No," Cuddy whispered breathless on his forehead, her hands caressing him softly as his ones snuck underneath her improvised robe. "I let you be the man and have control."

"Smartass," he grunted in her ear, biting at her lobe and chucking. "How convenient-"

"Oh don't worry House," She purred in his ear, then pulled back and with one gesture lost the grip of the sheet around her body. "This is going to change…"

**THE END**


End file.
